QUETTA, Oct 6: Tribal elders and political leaders have accused the authorities of ignoring the Pukhtuns and vowed to continue their struggle to unite the deprived people under one administrative set-up to protect their rights.

Speaking at a meeting on the fourth death anniversary of Pukhtun nationalist leader Haji Ghulam Sarwar Yasinzai in Killi Gul Mohammad, the leaders urged the Pukhtuns to unite on a single platform to achieve their right.

Nawab Ayaz Khan Jogezai, chief of the Pukhtun Qaumi Ulasi Jirga, Dr Inyatullah Khan, central leader of Awami National Party, tribal elder Malik Hashim Khan Yasinzai, Haji Nazimuddin Kakar, Rashid Nasar Mohammad Ibrahim Isakhel, Malik Sher Mohammad Kakar and Abdul Matin Akundzada spoke on occasion.

Senator Nawab Ayaz paid rich tributes to Haji Yasinzai for his struggle for the Pukhtun cause and maintained that to remember the passed away leaders was the duty of the people to strengthen the movement for the achievement of rights.

He held the rulers responsible for the backwardness and miseries of Pukhtuns saying that on the one hand the usurpers have denied national identity to Pukhtuns and on other the government was least interested to provide funds to the people of drought affected areas.

Nawab Jogezai further said that we have been denied representation in the political and administrative bodies of the government and emphasized that without united struggle Pukhtuns won't get their rights.

ANP leader Dr Inyatullah Khan claimed that Haji Yasinzai was close associate of Bacha Khan and Khan Wali Khan in the national struggle against the oppressors adding that late leader was strict follower of non-violence philosophy preached by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan.

He said that when our leadership asked the rulers to normalize relations with India then they were dubbed us as Indian agents but the present international environment forced our rulers to initiate dialogue with New Delhi to settle issues through negotiations.