October 22, 2008	Wednesday	Shawwal 22, 1429

PESHAWAR, Oct 21: The Awami National Party (ANP) has asked the militants to directly approach the government if they were ‘sincere’ in talks for establishment of peace and give up issuing press statements.

“They are welcome for dialogues. They must approach us if they are really sincere in talking peace,” ANP provincial president Afrasiab Khattak told reporters, after distribution of cheques among families of the Charsadda suicide blast victims, here on Tuesday.

Mr Khattak, who is also Peace Ambassador of the NWFP government, was of the view that the militants were promoting ‘agenda’ of the West by resorting to violence and extremist activities. Burning of schools, health facilities and the murder of innocent people were against Islam and such activities of the militants had created hatred against them among the population, he added.

“They aren’t sincere in talks for peace but want to get the sympathies of the people by issuing statements wherein they offer talks for peace,” said Mr Khattak.

The ANP, he said, had come into power as a result of general election held in February last and would serve the masses. He said that the government couldn’t be bowed down by acts of militants and appropriate action would be taken against all those taking law into their hands.

Mr Khattak said that the US presidential elections would definitely affect Pakistan’s political scenario, but said that “we have to strive for peace in the region ourselves as the US or any other country had no interest in it”. Pakistan, he said, was faced with a daunting challenge of coping with militancy and the government and the people together could confront the situation.

Regarding the recent visit of US assistant secretary of state for South Asia, the ANP leader said that the provincial government had discussed the socio-economic development of the region with the envoy. According to him, the US was making a law that could pave the way for the setting up of ‘reconstruction opportunity zones’ in the NWFP and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).

Establishment of peace was of prime significance in the region, he said, adding that the sanctuaries of militants inside the Fata had volcanic effects on both sides of the border in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

“The militants’ attempts to set up a parallel government could not be materialised and the elected government would spare no effort to defend the lives and properties of the people,” he warned. Mr Khattak said that the militants were bringing notoriety to the vital Islamic institution of jihad by killing innocent people in suicide bombings.