KARACHI, March 11: The politics of principles, and not of power and pelf, can steer the country out of the present crisis and put it on the road to progress and stability. Khan Abdul Wali Khan never compromised principles even when subjected to internment and labelled as traitor.
This was observed by the prominent leaders and other speakers who paid rich tributes to the person and services of the Awami National Party leader Khan Abdul Wali Khan at a reference held under the auspices of the ANP’s Sindh chapter at the Karachi Press Club on Saturday.
The meeting was presided over by the party’s Sindh chief Shahi Syed.
Speaking as the chief guest, President of the ANP Asfandyar Wali Khan pointed out that the threats looming large on Pakistan today had been predicted by the late Khan long before. He said the only way to wriggle out of the present crises was to follow the political guidelines laid by Wali Khan.
It is only now that Pakistani leaders are prepared to hold talk with their Indian counterparts anywhere and anytime to resolve the issues outstanding between the two countries, although the late Khan from the forum of his party had been advising the Pakistani rulers from the day one that solutions to all such issues, including Kashmir, lied in talks.
Mr Asfandyar also recalled that Wali Khan had always maintained that the war in Afghanistan was ‘war of interests’ between the US and Russia and Pakistan was being used as a pawn. The perception, he added, had proved absolutely correct in the light of the chronology of events in that war.
He said the situation prevailing today in the country indicated that our rulers had not learnt a lesson from the history. In this regard, he referred to the situation in Balochistan and Waziristan where the option of military action had been preferred over a dialogue for a peaceful solution. “Bajaur and Waziristan are burning and if efforts were not made to put out the fire now, it may engulf the entire Pakhtoonkhwa province.”
A former speaker of the National Assembly, Illahi Bux Soomro, said: “Had Wali Khan been alive today, he would have led the country in getting out of the crises.”
Jamaat-i-Islami leader Prof Ghafoor Ahmad said that without the support of Wali Khan and his party, the 1973 constitution could not have become a consensus document. He said that the absence of the seasoned politician was being badly felt in a situation where innocent tribesmen in Balochistan and Waziristan were facing aerial bombing on their houses. Awami Tehrik chief Rasool Bux Palijo said that Pakistan had lost not only principled politician but also a kind-hearted leader and a friend of oppressed people.
Mairaj Mohammad Khan said that Wali Khan, along with Ghaus Bux Bizenjo and Sardar Attaullah Mengal, had made commendable efforts towards saving Pakistan from being disintegrated in the 1971 crisis.
Sardar Sherbaz Mazari said that Wali Khan followed the footsteps of his father Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan in his struggled for the rights of the oppressed.
Yusuf Mastikhan said that Wali Khan’s had pursued issue-oriented politics.
Others who spoke on the occasion were Dr Qadir Magsi, Qari Sher Afzal, Rafique Engineer, Maulana Akram Qadri, Abdul Khaliq Junejo, Abdul Majid Kanjo and Afghan Consul General Muqtadar Farozanfar.
KARACHI, March 11: The politics of principles, and not of power and pelf, can steer the country out of the present crisis and put it on the road to progress and stability. Khan Abdul Wali Khan never compromised principles even when subjected to internment and labelled as traitor.
