PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali Khan on Monday said since PTI chief Imran Khan has been keeping his silence over the deteriorating law and order situation, therefore he will face a historic defeat in the August 22 by-polls.

Addressing a public gathering at Nishtar Hall in Peshawar, he said in the aftermath of Bannu jailbreak, Imran Khan had said that ANP lost the right to rule the province. “What does Imran have to say now about his right to rule the province after D I Khan jailbreak,” he questioned.

The ANP chief said despite the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf government was informed 48 hours prior to the attack, it failed to prevent it.

“The PTI chairman has advised his party leaders to not use a word of condemnation in statements issued after every terrorist attack,” he claimed.

People of the province were deceived with slogan of a “new Pakistan,” said Asfandyar. “Is this the new Pakistan where ministers are afraid of attending funerals of even their colleagues in the provincial assembly,” he added.

Speaking about the slain ANP leader and senior KP minister Bashir Ahmed Bilour, who was killed in a suicide attack in December last year, he said that Bashir Bilour was a brave man and never bowed down to the terrorist threats.

“People of Peshawar should honour the sacrifices of Bashir Ahmed Bilour and vote for his brother Ghulam Ahmed Bilour in the upcoming by-election,” he appealed the masses.

Asfandyar Wali said that Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl and ANP would jointly defeat the opponents in the August 22 by-polls and the PTI will face a stunning defeat in every district of the province.

Ghulam Ahmed Bilour, the ANP candidate for NA-1 Peshawar, said that all the promises of the PTI were a mere drama therefore Pakhtun people will now vote for him.

Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Abdur Rauf Jan of JUI-F and Zulfiqar Afghani of PPP also addressed the gathering.