PESHAWAR, Dec 9: Chief of Awami National Party (ANP) Asfandyar Wali Khan on Saturday characterised the proposed peace jirgas on both sides of the Durand Line a last chance for peace in the region. He said that if the political, religious and tribal Pakhtun leadership was not given a chance to play its due role, the jirgas would not achieve the desired goals.

Mr Asfandyar said that the genuine Pakhtun leadership needed to be given a chance if peace was to break out in the region. He was talking to newsmen after addressing the first women’s convention of his party here.

He accused the Pakistani government of insincerity, claiming that it was not ready to constitute jirgas involving the real representatives of the people. He said that he feared that jirgas would be constituted which would hesitate to deviate from the official line.

The ANP leader said the jirgas’ success depended on the participation of leaders enjoying the people’s mandate. If peace was to be achieved, all kinds of leaders needed to come together in order to convince the militant groups, he said.

“If the genuine Pakhtun leadership was not given a chance to work for peace, we would lose the final option to establish lasting peace in the region,” said the ANP leader. His party would never support a man in uniform as president and it would not join any alliance that favoured President Pervez Musharraf’s rule.

The ANP would consider supporting Gen Musharraf only if he resigns from his army post, he said. Referring to the Protection of Women Act, he said it had nothing to do with women’s rights. He said his party wanted the Hudood laws to be repealed. — PPI