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| December 20, 2005 | Tuesday | Ziqa’ad 17, 1426 |
ANP calls for dialogue to resolve political issues
PESHAWAR, Dec 19: The Awami National Party (ANP) has expressed concern over the military operation in Balochistan and has asked the government to stop it and start political dialogue for the resolution of the dispute.
In a statement issued here on Monday, ANP President Asfandiar Wali Khan said that it was all the more surprising that the parliament had been bypassed altogether while government forces had started bombing in Balochistan.
“Not only the parliament but people of the country are also unaware of the operation in Balochistan province,” Mr Khan deplored.
Furthermore, the military operation has been launched at a time when the country was in the severe grip of polarization.
The federal government at the cost of three provinces was adamant to construct the Kalabagh dam just to placate the province of Punjab, he added.
He said that the Kalabagh dam issue had been raised in the wake of General Musharraf’s statement that the federal government could not function without the approval of Punjab.
He said that it was abundantly clear now that the military operation was aimed at putting pressure on Balochistan into accepting the construction of the Kalabagh dam, which he said had been rejected by the three provinces of Sindh, Balochistan and NWFP.
“If historical experiences are anything to go by, such measures by the federal government have always led to disasters,” Mr Khan added.
Given present regional and international conditions, it was easy to launch military operations but it was extremely difficult to end them.
He said that the ANP had always opposed the solution of political problems through the use of force and was in favour of using political means.
The founder of the movement, the late Bacha Khan, had time and again advocated resolution of the Afghanistan conflict through the Loya Jirga.
“The same has been done by the international community but after the killing and displacement of millions of Afghans, women and children,” he said.
We demand from the federal government to stop the military operation in Balochistan forthwith and initiate political dialogue with the people of Balochistan to end the problem forever, he concluded.
ANP WOMEN WING: A meeting of the ANP women wing, held under its provincial chief Zahira Khattak at the Bacha Khan Markaz on Monday, has opposed the proposed construction of the Kalabagh dam.
The meeting resolved that women activists of the party would take active part in the anti-Kalabagh dam rally scheduled to be held on Dec 29.
It said that women were ready to render any sort of sacrifice to defend the interest of the province.
The meeting also said that ANP’s women members of the provincial assembly and district governments would tender resignations in protest against the construction of the Kalabagh dam.
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