CHARSADDA: The Awami National Party on Monday demanded the removal of landmines and other unexploded explosive material in the de-notified parts of Fata and lifting of curfew in some other tribal areas.

The party’s think tank, which met here, decided to convene a multi-party conference to find out solutions to the problems of Pakhtuns.

The moot’s schedule will be announced later, said a statement issued here after the meeting.

ANP president Asfandyar Wali Khan chaired meeting, which decided that the party would use all legal, constitutional and democratic means to resolve the problems facing Pakhtuns.

The statement said Asfandyar Wali expressed displeasure at the delay in the merger of tribal areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said delay in the implementation of the recommendations of the six-member Fata Reforms Committee would create issues even more complex than the current ones in the tribal region.

ANP calls moot of political parties on problems of Pakhtuns

Mr Asfandyar said the Fata-KP merger should be completed before the next general elections and that tribal people would be given representation in the KP Assembly and in the provincial cabinet through amendment to the Constitution.

He demanded an economic package for the militancy-affected tribal areas.

The ANP chief said the landmines had killed scores of innocent people, especially children and women, in militancy-hit Fata areas.

He urged the relevant authorities to expedite mine disposal campaign and demanded compensation for victims.

Mr Asfandyar expressed concern about the checkpoints inconveniencing the people traveling between tribal and settled areas and demanded the immediate removal of unnecessary checkposts.

He also complained about weekly curfew in some tribal agencies and said it was stressing out the people.

The ANP chief said the government should take appropriate measures to check targeted killings of tribesmen.

He demanded fair investigation into the cases of such target killings, including Naqeebullah Mehsud’s, for bringing the killers to justice.

Mr Asfandyar warned against changes to the 18th Constitutional Amendment and said any change to the Constitution would lead the country to anarchy.

He said the ANP would not make any compromise on the provincial autonomy.

The ANP chief said Pakhtuns in general and Fata people in particular were ignored in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project and thus, endangering national security.

He said the ANP had already taken up the concerns about the CPEC project with the Chinese ambassador.

ROAD BLOCKED: Traders and shopkeepers on Monday blocked a link road to Peshawar Motorway and set old tyres on fire at the main at Farooq Azam Chowk in Charsadda city to protest the growing robbery incidents and worsening law and order situation.

The trade organisations had given the call for protest against the incident of gunmen taking away Rs4.6 million from a trader in Charsadda bazaar.

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2018