SWABI, Dec 12: Awami National Party (ANP) president Asfandyar Wali Khan has warned that if Punjab stops the supply of wheat flour to the NWFP and tribal areas, the power supply to industrial units will be shut down.

He was addressing party workers here on Wednesday at the end of his two-day election campaign in the district.

He complained that whenever they raised the issue of flour, the government said it belonged to the Punjab province.

“Sindh produces rice and Balochistan owns gas fields,” he said, adding that whenever ANP leaders said that tobacco and electricity belonged to ‘Pukhtunkhwa’, the government would say that these assets belonged to the entire country.

“We cannot share the resources of other provinces but they claim to have a right on ours. We are against this injustice. If someone pushes us to the wall we will fight,” he said.

Mr Khan is contesting the polls from NA-12, Swabi-1. During his campaign he addressed various public meetings and met many people.

The ANP chief was warmly received by workers at Shewa adda, Kernel Sher Kili, Pabini, Malikabad, Gadoon, Topi and other areas.

The ANP chief said that the government should give up its discriminatory policy and stop the alleged victimisation of Pukhtuns.

He said the ANP leaders had always called for provincial autonomy, which he claimed would strengthen the country and create harmony among communities.

He said the Jan 8 election would be a referendum for the Pukhtun community, through which they would give a message to the whole world that they want peace and tranquillity in their belt, and reject oppression and polarisation. “The honourable Pukhtuns would vote for ANP and its candidates would emerge victorious.

It would be proved that instead of blood shed they want peace,” he said.

He said that their struggle would continue even after elections, adding the agenda of the ANP was different from other parties.

The ANP chief said he would fight for their rights and their demand for ownership over resources in their province.

He said that if the country wanted to prosper, it would have to follow the philosophy of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan.

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