KARACHI, March 14: Awami National Party President Asfandyar Wali Khan has said that provincial autonomy is the only solution to all fundamental issues being confronted to the country.

He warned that without giving total control over their resources to the provinces, survival of the federation would be difficult.

The ANP chief, who came to Karachi to attend a reference meeting held for late ANP chief Khan Abdul Wali Khan, was speaking at a reception meeting in Malir last night. Shahi Syed, Farooq Bangash, Sultan Mandokhel, Amin Khattak, Noorullah Achakzai, Sanaullah Agha were also present.

Referring to the on-going operation in Waziristan, he said that attainment of peace, and prosperity was impossible without dousing the on-going fire in Pakhtoon land.

The ANP chief also warned that consequences of army invasion against Baloch leadership and imposing decisions at gunpoint would be dangerous.

Demanding immediate stop of the army operation in Balochistan and Wazirsitan he advised the rulers to hold talks with Baloch leaders who represent aspiration of their people.

He said without peace in the province, Pakistan could not put to the road to progress and stability.

Asfandyar Wali criticized foreign policy of the rulers by pointing out that in the past US had used Pakistan against Russia in Afghanistan and now again Pakistan was being used against its own people in Balochistan and Waziristan.

He said that the ANP was not striving for rights of Pakhtoons, but the war of their survival by pursuing non-violence philosophy of late Bacha Khan through constitutional, legal and democratic means.

The ANP chief recalled that Pakhtoon tribes were settled across Pak-Afghan border whose language, culture, religion were similar to each other and no power could separate them with each other.

He said fencing barbed wire or laying landmines were the work of anti-Pakhtoon elements that were hatching conspiracies against Pakhtoon unity.