SWABI - The leadership of Awami National Party declared here on Thursday that they have been striving for restoration of peace in the militancy-hit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the planned All Party Conference would be a milestone in this connection.
They said that they were happy that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has delivered according to the expectations of Pukhtuns. ANP provincial president, Afrasiab Khattak said that soon after the 2008 elections when their party resumed power in the province they have been working with complete devotion and determination for peace because they are true followers of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan.
“We stick to the non-violence philosophy of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan who advocated it during the British colonial rule in the Sub-Continent. The ANP government has worked for peace and it still adopted the same policy. Our leadership has left no stone unturned in this regard,” he said.
He also spoke about the numerous sacrifices rendered by the ANP leaders during their government, delivering on various fronts with great pride. He also predicted that the ANP would form next government in the province and its leadership would demand votes from the people on the basis of their contributions. The ANP is party of Pukhtuns and they should work for strengthening their own party.
Once they come forward to make it a cogent political force then no one can stop their march to achieve the objective of progress and prosperity, he said. He highly praised the police force who was targeted by the militants. The ANP government he said had already modernised the provincial police force, providing them the latest technology and equipments to quell with those who challenged the writ of the government and creating horror. Disturbing the peaceful environment in the province was not acceptable to their government, he said.
He said that if the ANP came to power again it would further modernise the provincial police force. “We will provide the most up-to-date technology and equipments to the police to deal with the menace of terrorism,” he said. He said that the ANP planned all parties moot is aiming to forge consensus against terrorism and formulate a joint strategy on holding parleys with the militants. The ANP leadership had already declared that restoration of peace and eradication of the menace of terrorism was not the responsibility of the single party, advocating and working for formulating a joint strategy to eradicate terrorism.
The conference would be held in the first week of next month and the ANP leadership has attached great expectations with the conference, he said.
Arshad Abdullah, Minister for Law, said that it was a good omen that the ANP has acquired a strong position in Swabi and it always won from here with thumping majority. He said that they hope that the party would maintain its position in the upcoming general elections here.
Provincial Minister for Ushr and Zakat assured the ANP leadership that their position has been made stronger in the district because they had completed record projects here and the establishment of University of Swabi was a turning point.
ANP district president, Haji Rehmanullah, general secretary Tamraiz Khan also spoke on the occasion.
The function was also attended by MPAs Yasmeen Jasim and Sikandar Irfan.
