MARDAN: Awami National Party provincial president Mian Iftikhar Hussain on Saturday opposed the planned ‘Azam-i-Istehkam’ military operation.

He expressed these views during a visit to the residence of a party worker, Waseem, who lost his life in a remote-controlled blast that went off on the Jalala Bridge on Friday.

Mr Hussain expressed his condolences to the bereaved family.

He asked the military leadership and the federal government not to launch another military offensive in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said an uptick in bomb blasts in the region was being used as an excuse to launch a military operation.

“Who gave the permission to former spy chief Gen retired Faiz Hameed to allow over 4,000 terrorists to return to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he asked.

Iftikhar Hussain categorically said that ANP was totally opposed to the ‘Azam-i-Istehkam’ operation in KP. “’We will strongly resist it,” he added.

While lauding the sacrifices of the police and army personnel in the fight against militancy, he asked why every time the military establishment only chose Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan for military operations.

He wondered dozens of armed groups had been carrying out their activities in Punjab and Sindh provinces, but no military operation was ever started there.

Mian Iftikhar claimed that ANP had called a meeting of political parties of the province at Bacha Khan Markez on July 8 to take stock of the situation.

“It has become a matter of life and death for Pakhtuns, and they have to adopt a clear stance on the issue. We have to protect our land for our coming generations,” he said.

The seasoned politician urged all the political forces, especially Pakhtun leaders, to forge unity in their ranks for the sake of Pakhtun nation and land. He said that divisions among Pakhtun leadership would benefit their enemies.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2024