PESHAWAR: The opposition Awami National Party on Wednesday resented the ‘enforced disappearance’ of the spokesman for its Balochistan chapter and announced nationwide protest rallies on Feb 22 for the safe recovery of all missing persons.

ANP central senior vice-president Amir Haider Khan Hoti told a presser at the Bacha Khan Markaz here that his party would raise voice for the safe recovery of all missing persons, including Pakhtun and Baloch people, and their production in the relevant courts to decide cases against them.

Accompanied by ANP central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain, central spokesman Zahid Khan, provincial president Aimal Wali Khan and others, Mr Hoti highlighted the decisions taken during the three-day meetings of the party’s central executive council, federal cabinet and central council.

He said the country faced multiple challenges, which could be resolved only if all state institutions worked by staying within their constitutional domains.

The ANP leader said the federal government should focus on legislation to resolve all core issues, including that of missing persons, through courts.

Resents disappearance of spokesman for its Balochistan chapter

About open balloting in the Senate elections, he said the ruling party feared crack in its ranks and had promulgated a presidential ordinance for the open vote to hide its weakness.

He, however, said the opposition Pakistan Democratic Movement won’t allow that to happen.

“The ANP has always opposed horse-trading and expelled its members, including its sole senator in the past, over it,” he said adding that the party has never compromised discipline.

Mr Hoti said if the government was so much against horse-trading, it should work for election reforms.

He said the opposition parties had repeatedly described the 2018 general elections the most rigged ones in the country’s history but the ruling PTI never heeded it.

“The government is least bothered to contact the opposition for legislation on such a core issue,” he said.

The ANP leader warned that any effort to rollback the 18th Constitutional Amendment would weaken the federation.

He said his party was ready to take a firm stand in support of provincial autonomy.

“Our party will oppose any decision about the presidential form of government as the best system is parliamentary form of government if there is no interference by state institutions,” he said.

Mr Hoti, who is also a former provincial chief minister, said the government should fulfil its commitments to the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas by immediately releasing its three per cent share in the NFC Award and empowering civil administration to remove unrest among the residents and bring the underdeveloped region on a par with developed districts.

He called for the opening of all trade routes with neighboring states, especially Afghanistan, to strengthen regional trade and facilitate the people living along borders.

The ANP leader complained about the ‘growing’ incidence of kidnappings for ransom, target killings and regrouping of terrorists in different parts of the province, especially Buner, Dir and Swat.

He said the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had already suffered and the fresh wave of terrorism would engulf the entire country if action was not taken against it by the state without delay.

Supporting peace talks in Afghanistan, he said the negotiations should be owned and led by Afghans for success.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2021