PESHAWAR: Speakers at a condolence reference said that negligence on the part of Pakhtun population led to the brutal murder of former Afghan president Dr Najibullah.

“Pakhtuns even could not raise voice for saving life of Dr Najibullah when had had taken shelter at the UN compound and was subsequently killed,” they observed while speaking at the reference to commemorate the death anniversary of late Afghan president.

ANP central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain while paying tribute to Dr Najibullah said that he [Najibullah] had sacrificed his life to prevent foreign intervention in Afghanistan.

He said that Dr Najibullah was preacher of peace and laid down his life for the unity of his country. He said that Dr Najibullah was true follower of Khan Abdul Ghafar Khan, who also believed in non-violence.

Speakers at reference term former Afghan president preacher of peace

Dr Najibullah was hanged to death in 1996 when Taliban fighters stormed the UN compound in Kabul. His brother was also killed by Taliban. Pakistan Mazdoor Kisan Party had organised the reference at Peshawar Press Club.

Mazdoor Kisan Party president Afzal Khamoosh, former president of Democratic Student Federation Anwar Zeb, Pakhtunkhwa Olasi Tehreek chief Dr Said Alam Mehsud, ANP-W provincial president Fareed Toofan, Pakistan Communist Party provincial general secretary Janas Khan and Barrister Hashim Raza addressed the reference.

They said that Pakhtun nation was passing through the worst crises of its existence and all the leaders irrespective of their parties’ affiliation should join hands to address those crises.

Mian Iftikhar said that sustainable peace could not be restored in Afghanistan without following into the footsteps of the late president. “Dr Najibullah was preacher of peace and laid down his life for the sake of peace,” he said, adding that hundreds of workers and leaders of ANP had also sacrificed their lives for peace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata.

He was of the view that anti-peace elements considered ANP major impediment and vowed that workers of the party would foil nefarious designs of terrorists in the region. He condemned attacks on police and personnel of other law enforcement agencies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata.

The ANP leader said that objectives of National Action Plan could not be achieved unless network of terrorists in Punjab was destroyed. The monster of terrorism could not be eliminated from the country by conducting operation against militants only in North Waziristan Agency, he said.

The ANP leader believed that around 70 terrorist organisations were operating in Punjab and peace could not be established without conducting operation against them. He said that banned outfits were still collecting donations in towns and cities which were used for conducting subversive activities.

Mian Iftikhar said that lasting peace could be established if 20 points of NAP were implemented in letter and spirit. Expressing concern over forced return of Afghan refugees, he said that its repercussions would harm interests of Pakistan. He demanded voluntary repatriation of the refugees.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2016