PESHAWAR: Awami National Party provincial president Ameer Haider Khan Hoti has said that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf should respect the mandate of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said that it seemed Imran Khan wanted to sacrifice the provincial government of PTI to become prime minister.

“He should respect the aspirations of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” said Mr Hoti while speaking at a luncheon hosted by ANP leader Dr Mohammad Yousaf Yousafzai in Mardan on Thursday.

According to a press release issued by Bacha Khan Markaz in Peshawar, the central office of ANP, Mr Hoti said that PTI should fulfil its promise about making ‘a new Pakistan’. The people, who voted PTI into power, wanted it to fulfil its commitments, he added.

Hoti says Imran wants to sacrifice provincial govt to become PM

Mr Hoti said that the entire Parliament put its weight behind the federal government.

In such a situation, asking the prime minister to resign showed that Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri were living in a fool’s paradise, he said.

The ANP leader said that instead of asking the federal government to resign, the PTI government should complete its tenure and fulfil its promise made with the people, who voted it into power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Mr Hoti said that PTI and PML-N both should show some flexibility as their differences would create an opportunity for other forces to take advantage of the situation.

The solution to the crisis lied in showing flexibility, he said, adding that holding talks was the only option to resolve the crisis.

The ANP leader said that the sit-ins in Islamabad caused financial losses to the country and created an uncertain situation, which was discouraging the investors.

He said that in such a situation, ANP would be on the side of democracy.

He also urged the followers of Bacha Khan to unite under one flag of the ANP.

In another press release, ANP parliamentary leader in provincial assembly Sardar Hussain Babak said that federal and provincial governments should give priority to resolving the problems faced by the displaced families of North Waziristan Agency.

He said that displaced people lost everything so they were totally dependant on the government’s assistance.

Mr Babak demanded of the government to make arrangements for the displaced students of North Waziristan in the educational institutions of the province so that they could continue their education.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2014