PESHAWAR, Oct 22: The Awami National Party has blamed the government and the secret agencies for “the phenomenon of artificial Talibanisation” in the North West Frontier Province.

It has also vowed to foil attempts to postpone elections in some districts of the province.

In a press release issued here on Monday, ANP’s information secretary Zahid Khan said that secret agencies were behind the so-called Talibanisation and lawlessness in the tribal areas and some districts of the Frontier province.

The secret agencies, he claimed, were trying to pave the way for postponement of general elections in the province.

However, he said, the ANP would never allow this and would work to keep the political process running smoothly, particularly the holding of public rallies to mobilise people’s support against the government propaganda.

He claimed that the federal government and secret agencies were involved in the unrest in Swat, Dir, Malakand, Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Lakki Marwat and the tribal areas. Mr Khan appealed to all democratic forces and the civil society to jointly work for the restoration of peace in the province.