July 15, 2007	Sunday	Jamadi-us-Sani 29, 1428

PESHAWAR, July 14: The Awami National Party and the Pakistan People’s Party on Saturday expressed concern over the deployment of troops in various parts of the NWFP. In a press release issued here, ANP provincial president Afrasiab Khattak feared loss of human life on a large scale if any military operation was launched in the province.

He said that development of forces had raised questions about the legitimacy of the Mutahidda Majlis-i-Amal government in the province.

Referring to the Lal Masjid operation, he said such a military action would not succeed in the province and Fata. “If the government committed any such blunder it may spark a civil war in the country,” he said.

He said the MMA government had failed to maintain law and order and that was the reason that the task had been handed over to the armed forces.

He wondered if the decision to replace local police with the armed forces had been taken by the provincial or the federal government.

He said the MMA government had not taken the provincial assembly, political parties and the people of the province into confidence before “handing over the province to the armed forces.”

Mr Khattak pointed out that the fire that was ignited by flawed and failed Afghan policy of the government in tribal areas had entered settled parts of the province.

He said there were a number of political, social and economic factors behind the growing extremism and violence and military operation was not a solution to the problem.

“The solution lies in a comprehensive package of social, political, economic and administrative measures to be taken by the state and civil society,” said the ANP leader.

Meanwhile, PPP leader Abdul Akbar Khan said the recent deployment of forces in parts of the province was an indication that the MMA government had failed to maintain the law and order.

Talking to Dawn, he said that instead of using the police, armed forces had been deployed which had created an impression that the provincial government had failed to maintain law and order in the province.

“If the federal government has deployed forces without the provincial government’s request then it is interference in the provincial autonomy,” he observed.