KARACHI, March 9: The Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party on Friday condemning the ruling elite for exploiting the Pakhtoons’ resources demanded that the Pakhtoons be treated as equal citizens and given their rights.

Speaking at a meeting after inaugurating the PMAP office at Sohrab Goth, party leaders – Senator Abdul Rahim Mandokhel, Nazeer Jan, Sabreen Chagarzai, Naseerullah Zeeri, Hakim Khan Mandokhel and others said that the ruling class which belonged to Punjab had taken control of the Pakhtoons’ natural resources and the Pakhtoons were forced to migrate to other areas to earn a livelihood.

Claiming that terrorists, trained by ISI, were being sent from Waziristan and other areas into Afghanistan, they said that it was the Afghan government’s right to follow terrorists and other criminals, involved in murders and other acts of terrorism inside Afghanistan in hot pursuit and hit them wherever they went.

They said that Wana and Miramshah which were important trading centres have been destroyed by terrorists which has crippling the economy of the residents. They added that patriotic local people were being murdered by terrorists.

They said the drivers of trailers and trucks ferrying goods from Karachi to Afghanistan were being murdered by Taliban and members of Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and the goods looted.

They said the law and order situation had become so bad that police officers who could strike a deal between the kidnapped person’s family and the kidnappers were considered.

They said that they would wage a peaceful political struggle till the Pakhtoons were given their rights.