SWAT: Awami National Party Khyber Pakhtunkhwa president Mian Iftikhar Hussain on Friday called for effective implementation of the National Action Plan to ensure long-term stability in the country.

During a function held in Saidu Sharif here to mark the death anniversaries of Pakhtun leaders Bacha Khan and Abdul Wali Khan, Mr Hussain said that his party had made great sacrifices to restore peace in Swat and other parts of the Malakand division.

He criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government over “failure to deliver the goods” and said the ruling party had disappointed people so much that they had turned to the ANP.

The ANP leader added that the massive participation of people in the recent party gatherings across the province showed that the party was driven by the struggle for Pashtun rights and not by a quest for power.

Marks death anniversaries of Bacha Khan, Wali Khan

He recalled the previous turbulent period in the Swat region and said that there was a time when courts and police stations were non-functional,with the region held hostage by terrorists.

Mr Hussain said that after the failure of negotiations, ANP took a decisive stand in support of a military operation, which ultimately freed the region from terrorism.

“Peace in Swat was not a gift and instead it was achieved through the sacrifices of ANP leaders and workers,” he said.

The ANP leader said the people of Swat stood by the party, and every household in the region had a member who sacrificed life for peace.

He noted that the ANP fulfilled its promise of implementing the Shariah-based Nizam-i-Adl justice system in Malakand division but despite that, Taliban leader Sufi Mohammad spoke against democracy and challenged the state, leading to a major military operation that eliminated terrorists from the region.

Mr Hussain warned against any attempts to destabilise the “hard-earned” peace in Swat, saying that if sustainable peace is to be maintained, no obstacles should be created in the ANP’s efforts for the purpose.

He urged the government to ensure the full implementation of the National Action Plan to prevent a resurgence of extremism and maintain law and order across the country.

The event was also addressed by ANP central general secretary Dr Mohammad Saleem Khan, provincial general secretary Shah Hussain, Swat district president Sher Shah Khan, district general secretary Abdul Malik, and other senior leaders.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2025