PESHAWAR: Awami National Party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan has said that days of the “selected” government are numbered and opposition parties will observe black day across the country on July 25.

Addressing a function in connection with the first death anniversary of Barrister Haroon Bilour and 22 other workers of the party in Nishtar Hall here on Wednesday, he said that the PTI government was trying to silence its opponents but ANP, JUI-F and other parties would come out on the roads in Peshawar on July 25. “It will be very difficult for the government to silence opposition. ANP had a long list of martyred workers and leaders but it could not be silenced,” he said.

Haroon Bilour and 22 other party workers were killed when a suicide bomber struck the election rally of ANP in Peshawar on July 10.

Asfandyar Wali says opposition to hold rallies on 25th in all provinces

It is worth mentioning that JUI-F has already announced million march in Peshawar on July 25. Mr Khan said that said that opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz of PML-N would lead rally in Lahore and PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari would also come out on the same day to raise voice against the silencing of the opposition parties. He said that Hasil Bizenjo and Mahmood Khan Achakzai would lead rallies in Quetta.

“We will hold such a protest (on July 25) that Imran Khan and those, who brought him, would be forced to flee,” said the ANP chief. He said that no power could protect those, who had stolen the people’s mandate in previous general elections. He added that rulers did not have ability and capability to run the government.

Mr Khan said that opposition parties had worked out strategy and planned to organise rallies in four provinces. He said that final round would of the protest take place in Islamabad. He added that opposition would fix date for the final round.

He expressed concerns over the rising inflation, curbs on freedom of expression and targeting of political rivals through National Accountability Bureau. He said that government imposed new taxes worth Rs733 billion in the budget that would directly hit middle and lower classes. He said that International Monetary Fund in its report confirmed imposition of new taxes.

ANP senior vice president Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, Haroon Bilour’s widow MPA Samar Bilour and her son Daniyal Bilour, senior politician Ghulam Ahmed Bilour and other leaders of the party were also present on the occasion.

Samar Bilour, who contested the by-election from PK-78 and won the provincial assembly seat, said that a year had gone by and police officials gave them presentations but were so far unable to trace the killers of her husband.

“Haroon Bilour’s sacrifice would not be hidden from anyone. Such sacrifice would actually bring change. It is not PTI but ANP, which has made such sacrifices,” she said.

Ghulam Ahmed Bilour paid tributes to Haroon Bilour and those 22 workers of the party who were targeted on July 10 last year. He said that he was such an unlucky fellow, who lost his young son, his brother (Bashir Bilour) and then his young nephew Haroon Bilour.

He also expressed concerns over the deteriorating political situation in the country, saying establishment was becoming all powerful.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2019