MOHMAND: Awami National Party’s central secretary culture Dr Khadim Hussain has said that exploitation of Pakhtuns must end and they be given their first right to use their resources.

He was speaking as chief guest at a study circle held here on Saturday in Atokhel area of Halimzai tehsil under the auspices of party’s Mohmand chapter.

ANP district president Saifullah Khan, general secretary Hazrat Khan Momand, Halimzai tehsil president Abdul Majeed and lawyers, teachers and writers associated with the party attended the event.

During discussion on ‘resources of Pakhtunkhwa – current situation’, Dr Khadim Hussain said that various tactics were being used to defraud the Pakhtuns of their resources.

He said that electricity was generated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but the authority was with someone else. He said that same was the case with oil, gas and minerals.

The ANP’s culture secretary said that Pashto language was removed from primary schools to remove their identity while according to the UN Charter the primary education in mother tongue should be made a priority.

He alleged that the PTI government had taken away the right to education in the mother tongue up to the primary level from the Pakhtun children.

Dr Hussain claimed that ANP was the only political party that wanted the province’s right to use its own resources. He said that various trade routes of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly the merged districts, had been closed with Afghanistan, but were open for criminals and smugglers.

He said that Pakhtuns would not let anyone to seize their natural resources.

JIRGA HELD: Elders, local body representatives and Khewazai Jirga demanded the authorities to open the Pak-Afghan Gursal trade route and resolve their other problems.

They raised their issues during a jirga held at Atta Bazaar here on the other day.

They demanded recruitment of local people in government

departments, transfer of government offices to Bahai Dag border area, elimination of bogus domiciles and opening of Gursal trade route.

Published in Dawn, October 23th, 2022