PESHAWAR: Awami National Party central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain on Tuesday said the opposition Pakistan Democratic Movement would march on Islamabad with the complete support of the people to oust the incapable government.

He was addressing a special ceremony held here to mark the eighth death anniversary of party leader Bashir Ahmad Bilour, who along with party workers was martyred in a suicide attack in Peshawar in 2012.

His elder brother, Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, escaped narrowly in the attack.

Mr Hussain said the PDM would proceed to Islamabad without the support of ‘hidden forces’ to force the selected prime minister to resign.

Bashir Bilour’s death anniversary marked

“Unlike the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, the PDM does not have the support of the hidden forces. Members of the PDM will organise rallies at divisional level across the country before marching on Islamabad. We [opposition parties] will mobilise the people for the long march,” he said.

The ANP leader said Imran Khan was afraid of the PDM, so he was trying to hold the Senate elections in Feb.

He said the PDM was formed to oust the incompetent and corrupt government. “ANP fully backs the PDM narrative and its members are ready to resign from assemblies,” he said.

Mr Hussain said Pakhtuns had rendered sacrifices for sustainable peace in the region and supremacy of Constitution and strengthening of democratic institutions in the country.

He said peace had been restored in the country due to the matchless sacrifices of the ANP workers. The ANP leader paid tribute to Bashir Bilour and other workers of the party for rendering life for peace.

He expressed concern about the ‘deteriorating’ law and order situation in the country, especially surge in targeted killing of political workers, and said terrorist groups were re-organising themselves in the region.

Regarding intra-Afghan talks, the ANP leader said peace in Pakistan was directly linked to peace in Afghanistan.

He said war against the Afghan Taliban continued for three decades and currently, war against the IS militants was inevitable.

Mr Hussain urged the government to review its internal and external policies.

He said the National Action Plan was not implemented in the country and terrorist outfits had 70 hideouts in Punjab alone.

“Unfortunately, action against militant hideouts has not been taken that provided breathing space to militant groups to reorganise themselves,” he said.

The ANP leader said durable peace in the country and the region was not possible without the implementation of 20-point NAP.

Addressing the ceremony, ANP provincial president Aimal Wali Khan said his party’s lawmakers would tender resignations after the PDM took a decision about it.

He said ‘hidden powers’ had imposed PM Imran Khan on the nation like selected and incompetent people.

“Our target is to get rid of the selected government as well as protect rights of Pakhtunkhwa nation,” he said.

Mr Aimal said the ANP was the only political party, whose leaders didn’t have any case.

“We don’t want NROs and instead, we want an end to this incompetent government, which has plunged the country into financial crisis,” he said.

ANP leader Ghulam Ahmad Bilour and others also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2020