NOWSHERA: Awami National Party central president Asfandyar Wali Khan has announced to call a jirga of Pakhtun leaders to find solution to the problems being confronted by the Pakhtun nation.

Addressing a rally in Azakhel here on Monday in connection with death anniversaries of Bacha Khan and Wali Khan, he asked ANP senior vice president Ameer Haider Khan Hoti and central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain to organise the jirga as soon as possible.

The ANP chief said that all out efforts would be made to shun differences among Pakhtun and bring them together to launch struggle for their rights. He said that future line of action would be decided in the jirga.

He also directed the provincial cabinet of the party to invite elders and all other stakeholders of tribal districts to Bacha Khan Markaz, the central office of ANP, to discuss their problems and find a way out to overcome them.

Asfandyar warns against rollback of 18th Amendment

The public gathering was also attended by ANP central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, provincial president Aimal Wali Khan, Sardar Hussain Babak, Aqil Shah, Haji Ghulam Mohammad Bilour, Mian Yahya Shah, Jamal Khan and others.

Asfandyar Wali Khan criticised the system enforced in the tribal districts, alleging that people of former tribal areas were subjected to brutalities and their rights were usurped through the new ambiguous system. He said that tribal people were yet to reap fruit of their struggle for merger of the areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The ANP chief threatened to block supply of electricity to Punjab if supply of wheat flour was stopped to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that provincial government compromised on the rights of the province.

He said the people would not let the present rulers to deprive Pakhtuns of their rights guaranteed in the Constitution.

The ANP chief termed the ongoing accountability one-sided. He said that only leaders of opposition parties were being sent behind bars while aides and relatives of Prime Minister Imran Khan were given clear chit by the accountability body.

He said that sister of former president Asif Ali Zardari and daughter of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif were sent to jail in the name of accountability but sister of Imran Khan was given a clean chit.

Mr Khan said that government had multiplied the miseries of people. He said that people were unable to buy daily use items owing to skyrocketing price hike in the country. He added Imran Khan was chanting the old slogan of accountability to hide his incompetency and bad governance.

He alleged that prices of daily use items and tariff of electricity and gas were out of reach of common man. He said that some elements were still conspiring against 18th Amendments. He said that an unending tussle would be started in the country if anyone tried to rollback the 18th Amendment.

Aimal Wali Khan, Mian Iftikhar Hussain and Ameer Haider Khan Hoti also addressed the rally.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2020