MINGORA/TIMERGARA: ANP central president Asfandyar Wali Khan has said that Pakistan is passing through the most difficult time of its history as the country is facing isolation owing to the flawed policies of federal government.

He was addressing a convention of party workers in Shah Dehrai, Kabal tehsil here on Monday. Besides a large number of workers, former chief minister Ameer Haid Khan Hoti and local leaders of ANP attended the convention.

Asfandyar Khan said that postponement of Saarc summit meant that Pakistan stood alone in the region. “Pakistan has never enjoyed cordial relationship with its neighbouring countries. The flawed foreign policy of the federal government has forced Afghanistan to revisit its ties with Pakistan,” he added.

The ANP chief alleged that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and federal government were deceiving Pakhtuns about their share in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project. “The prime minister never keeps his words as on many occasions he went back on his promises made with us regarding the western route of CPEC,” he added.

Mr Khan said that PTI-led provincial government was wasting time by staging protests and sit-ins. He said that the slogan of ‘change’ was just a political stunt by PTI to grab votes. He said that provincial government was so incompetent that it could not demand its due share in CPEC.

Asfandyar accuses Nawaz of not honouring his promises about western route of CPEC

The ANP chief said that Punjab-based central government was not interested in the western route of CPEC. “The PTI-led provincial government can’t take a firm stance about share of Pakhtuns in CPEC,” he added.

Mr Khan ruled out possibility of any military coup in the country, saying passage of 18th Amendment had strengthened democracy, democratic institutions and media in the country.

He said that popularity of ANP showed that the party would form provincial government after the next general elections in 2018.

Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, former MPAs Waqar Khan and Sher Shah Khan also addressed the convention and criticised both federal and provincial governments for their failure to resolve problems the people.

Meanwhile, ANP information secretary Zahid Khan told a party meeting in Saddo area in Lower Dir that prime minister should play his role in provision of rights to Pakhtuns.

“We will always support Constitution, Parliament and democracy in Pakistan,” he said. ANP district president Hussain Shah Yousafzai, Wajid Khan and Sarbiland Khan also spoke on the occasion.

Zahid Khan said that Pakhtuns were being deprived of their due share in CPEC. He said that China wanted to facilitate people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan but the Pakistani rulers conspired against the people of those provinces.

The ANP leader said that both Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan wanted to appease the people of Punjab to get votes for becoming prime minister. He alleged that Imran Khan had nothing to do with the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. That’s why they were being deprived of their share in CPEC, he added.

The ANP leader said that schools, colleges, hospitals, universities and even graveyards were not safe in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that Punjab and Sindh never elected a Pakhtun leader as their representative but Pakhtuns always voted to Punjabi and Sindhi leaders.

He asked party workers and local elders to join hands with ANP to get rights for Pakhtuns.

On the occasion, several political workers including Malik Tajdar, Syed Hassan, Rashid Khan, Fakhr-i-Alam, Naveedur Rehman, Ziaul Islam and Nisar Ahmad announced to quit PPP, PTI and JI and join ANP.

Zahid Khan also addressed functions in Hajiabad and Rabat. He said that Pakhtun leaders were dubbed as traitors in the past for their stand for rights of Pakhtuns.

He said that ANP was real representative party of all Pakhtuns living in different areas of the country. He said that ANP would not remain silent over injustice with Pakhtuns.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2016