PESHAWAR: Awami National Party provincial president Aimal Wali Khan on Thursday demanded transparent and fair general elections saying the electoral exercise will lead the country out of economic crisis.

He also said that the military establishment should “admit past mistakes and avoid further interference in politics.”

During the party’s “social media summit” at the Bacha Khan Centre here, the ANP leader said that if the Constitution and the law prevailed, general elections would be held on Feb 8, 2024, as announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan, according to a party statement.

He said that the ANP believed in democracy and fighting politically for people’s rights under the Constitution.

Aimal addresses party’s social media workers

“We should not be forced to choose undemocratic ways to claim the rights of the nation. We hope that the people’s votes will prevail and not the will of any individual,” he said.

Mr Aimal appreciated the social media teams of his party for advocating the cause of Pakhtun nation.

“Our selfless social media workers are our pride,” he said.

The ANP provincial chief said that security agencies should focus their attention on national security and allow politicians to handle the country’s political matters.

He said that the country would move forward only when all institutions restricted their activities to their respective jurisdictions.

“Politics has been discredited so much that political parties are not even ready to sit together. The Constitution and basic human rights are being mocked in the country,” he said.

Mr Aimal said that the party had never made a compromise on its principles to claim power.

“We do not need any position or authority for the mission we are pursuing. Our politics is meant to claim the rights and resources of Pakhtuns. We talk about the provincial autonomy and strong federation and insist that Punjab and other provinces have as much right to Pakistan as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has,” he said.

The ANP leader said that the 18th Constitutional Amendment was approved by parliament after a long struggle of Pakhtuns under the leadership of Asfandyar Wali Khan. He said that since the 18th Amendment had become part of the Constitution, the ANP was “blocked” from politics and parliament.

Mr Aimal said that after the 18th Constitutional Amendment, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was handed over to the people, who had nothing to do with the rights of Pakhtuns.

“We want to tell those who have kept us out of parliament that we will make no compromise on the 18th Constitutional Amendment,” he said.

The ANP leader said that the rulers “imposed” on Afghanistan by force didn’t listen to anyone in the past nor would they do so in future.

He said that the right to rule Afghanistan belonged to those, who were elected by the Afghan people.

Mr Aimal demanded “strict” accountability of corrupt people in the country.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2023