PESHAWAR: Awami National Party central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain on Friday called for the unity of Pakhtuns to address contemporary issues and said his party would play a lead role in that respect.

Addressing a ceremony held here to mark the death anniversary of party leader Mian Mushtaq and his associates, the ANP leader said the party would fulfil its constitutional, legal and moral responsibilities to steer Pakhtuns out of crises.

He said hundreds of ANP workers and leaders had laid down their lives in the war against terrorism.

Mr Hussain said evil forces couldn’t be defeated until Pakhtuns were united and therefore, all Pakhtun leaders should show maturity and responsibility for the purpose.

He said the ANP had been struggling for the unity of Pakhtuns to protect their constitutional rights.

The ANP leader said the mandate given by the people to his party in the July 2018 elections was stolen by the establishment to install puppet governments in the centre and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said the PTI government couldn’t survive for a single day if the establishment withdrew its support. Criticising the economic policies of the government, Mr Hussain said the country had been facing the worst financial crisis.

He said the federal government was taking Rs15 billion loans every day.

The ANP leader said the ruling PTI had kept the nation in the dark and got record loans.

“Like economic policies, the PTI government’s foreign policy has also failed as neighbours are annoyed with the country,” he said.

Mr Hussain claimed that Pakistan had been denied financial assistance by even its close friends.

He said the government had hijacked the National Accountability Bureau.

The ANP leader said the NAB could work independently but it was used to victimise political rivals of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He declared the PTI a gang of corrupt people.

MPA Khushdil Khan advocate and other ANP leaders also addressed the ceremony.

Published in Dawn, January 12th, 2019