SWABI: Awami National Party provincial president Aimal Wali Khan has said that the Azadi March would go on even if Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and ANP president Asfandyar Wali Khan were arrested.

Addressing a press conference at Swabi Press Club the other day, he said that being followers of Bacha Khan they knew well how to successfully run an anti-government campaign.

He recalled that there was a time when Bacha Khan, Khan Abdul Wali Khan and Asfandyar Wali Khan were in jail and women came out from their houses to continue the anti-government campaign.

Aimal Wali says govt has failed on all fronts

“If we are arrested, then other leaders would lead the campaign but we will never stop,” he said.

Aimal Wali said that if the government arrested the Maulana he would still be a winner. He said that JUI-F had seized the true moment and was now leading from the front in the march.

Answering a question, he said that the PTI leaders had taken another U-turn by offering talks to the Maulana. “This is an abortive U-turn and they would not be able achieve their objective,” he said.

Aimal Wali said that the JUI-F chief was not ready for negotiations with members of the government-constituted committee, as his foremost aim was the removal of PTI government. He said that the government had failed to deliver on all fronts. He said that the Maulana had successfully enlisted the support of the opposition parties.

POLICE REHEARSAL: The police here have started anti-riots rehearsal to effectively deal with the upcoming Azadi March of JUI-F.

Police sources said that new techniques were being imparted to the district police to deal with ‘riots’ according to the directives of the government and high-ranking police authorities.

“We are ready to deliver and provide security to the people,” said an official when contacted.

The sources said that the rehearsal was being held at the police training centre, Shahmansoor. They said that if needed the Swabi police might be deployed to Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway.

KILLED: Two persons were killed in a road accident here on Friday.

Police said that the incident occurred near Tordher village when a motorcycle collided with a tractor trolley.

As a result, the bike riders, identified as Nural Wahab and Abdul Hadi of Tordher village, were killed. Police have registered an FIR.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2019