PESHAWAR: Awami National Party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan said on Friday that five constitutions would come into existence in the country if anyone dared to change the 18th constitutional amendment.

Speaking at a workers convention here, he condemned the statements of some elements concerning changing the 18th amendment. Without mentioning the four provinces and Fata, the ANP chief said that then there would be five constitutions in the country. He said that ANP was striving for the protection of democracy and existing system.

“We will accept the mandate of Imran Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the condition if PTI accepts the mandate of Nawaz Sharif in the centre,” he said. Mr Wali alleged that Mr Imran had stolen mandate in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but they accepted the results only to save the system.

The workers convention was held at the residence of ANP leader Arbab Ayub Jan. The workers were holding banners and placards inscribed with pro-party slogans.

The ANP chief said that PTI chief Imran Khan was a non-serious person who needed to know about the history of Pakistan. He alleged that the provincial government had ignored the problems being confronted by masses as it was busy in the continued protest in Islamabad against the federal government. “There is no governance in the province,” Mr Wali said.

He criticised the PTI-led provincial government for ignoring the internally displaced persons (IDPs). He said that women IDPs were standing in long queues to get alms while Mr Imran had no time to come down from the container. He claimed that a large number of IDPs had turned to beggary because they were helpless. He appealed to the Pakhtun leaders to get united for solving the problems of IDPs and their early repatriation.

He said that they would not allow the construction of Kalabagh dam at any cost. He also rejected the PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervez Elahi’s statement that efforts would be made to develop consensus among the stakeholders about construction of the dam.

“Our sisters and daughters have the right to get education. The ANP has been striving for their right to education without any discrimination,” he said and asked the party workers to strengthen its women wing. Provincial president Ameer Haider Hoti told the convention that ANP was the party of martyrs. He said that PTI had failed to do anything for the betterment of people.

Published in Dawn, November 29th , 2014