BATKHELA: Awami National Party senior vice president and former chief minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti said that political change in the country had become inevitable because “deselected” government and Pakistan could not coexist together anymore.

Addressing a public meeting here on Sunday in connection with the death anniversaries of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Abdul Wali Khan, he said that Imran Khan had not only disappointed his allies but also those powers, who installed him as prime minister.

ANP central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain, provincial president Aimal Wali and provincial general secretary MPA Sardar Hussain Babak also addressed the public meeting. The workers of the party from eight districts of Malakand division thronged Zafar Park to participate in the anniversary.

Mr Hoti said that a tug-of-war in the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf was underway that resulted in blame game. He said that leaders of the ruling party were levelling allegations of corruption against each other. He said that it proved that PTI was a syndicate of corrupt elements.

The ANP leader said that leaders of the ruling party should prepare themselves for accountability in the foreign funding case, Bus Rapid Transit project and Malam Jaba scam. He said that political opponents could not prove allegations against ANP.

He said that ANP had materialised the dream of Khan Abdul Wali Khan by passing 18th Amendment that gave financial autonomy to all the federating units of the country.

Aimal Wali Khan said that ANP was convening a jirga to discuss situation in tribal districts. He said that Pakhtun Tahaffuz Movement would be invited to the jirga. He said that the ruling PTI was hatching conspiracy to rollback 18th Amendment.

Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that countdown for the removal of government had started.

He urged ANP workers to start preparations for general elections. He said that Ghaffar Khan and Wali Khan had struggled against dictators and imperialist forces in the region.

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2020