BAJAUR: Awami National Party’s provincial general secretary Sardar Hussain Babak on Sunday asked the PTI government to raise a strong voice with the centre for getting the due rights of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said his party would stand by the provincial government if it effectively took up the provincial rights issue with the central government.

“Since a majority of KP people have voted for PTI, so the party’s government should take up the matter of provincial rights with the federal government,” he said while addressing a gathering held in Khar.

Awami National Party formally launched the campaign for the April 21 by-election on NA-8 and PK-22 seats here.

Mr Babak warned the people would not forgive the PTI if it didn’t deliver on its promises.

He suggested the provincial government hold a sit-in in Islamabad if the federal government wasn’t ready to give due rights to the people of KP.

He said Awami National Party was concerned over the prolonged delay in provision of due rights of the province by the central government, adding his party would extend all-out support to the PTI government if it effectively pursued the case with the centre.

Mr Babak claimed the resources of Pakhtuns were being usurped, but there was no one to raise voice against it in the parliament.

He claimed that the ‘true’ representatives of Pakhtuns were made to lose the Feb 8 elections as some forces didn’t want a strong voice for the rights of Pakhtuns in the parliament.

The Awami National Party provincial general secretary asked the participants to follow the non-violence philosophy of Abdul Ghafar Khan and also spread it among people.

He urged the participants to ensure the victory of the party’s candidates – Maulana Khan Zeb and Shah Naseer Khan – in the by-elections.

ANP Bajaur president Gul Afzal Khan, Maulana Khan Zeb, Shah Naseer Khan and others also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2024