January 21, 2007	Sunday	Muharram 01, 1428

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QUETTA, Jan 20: The Balochistan chapter of the Awami National Party (ANP) has said the party would continue its struggle for uniting the divided Pakhtun areas in one political and administrative control to accomplish the mission of the founder of the Khudai Khidmatgar Movement, the late Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan.

Speaking at a meeting here on Saturday to observe the 19th death anniversary of Bacha Khan, Balochistan ANP president Khudadad Khan claimed that the late leader rendered great sacrifices to achieve political and democratic rights for Pakhtuns and other oppressed people in the region.

Paying rich tribute to the late Bacha Khan, he said that the ANP was strictly committed to the principles of the Khudai Khidmatgar that preached non-violence and resolution of political issues through peaceful means as use of violent methods create hatred between different communities and nations.

Mr Khudadad asserted that Bacha Khan had spent more than three decades in prisons during the freedom movement against the British colonial rule and dictatorial regimes in the country.

He said that today's situation in Afghanistan had proved the political assessment of the Bacha Khan that so-called champions of Jihad were playing in the hands of alien powers to continue the bloodshed in Afghanistan.

The ANP leader said that peace in Afghanistan was not possible until the Taliban stop interfering from this side of border to destabilise the Afghan government.

Criticizing military operations in Balochistan and Waziristan, he said political issues of both areas should be solved politically instead of using force that would further complicate the situation.

He said the Awami National Party would play its role in the democratic movement of opposition parties against the military dictatorship and restoration of real democratic rule in the country.