PESHAWAR, June 17: Awami National Party (ANP) has asked Pakistan and Afghanistan to exercise patience and immediately start dialogue to resolve issues through peaceful means.

“Foreign powers have turned this region into a battlefield. The situation concerned us because Pakhtuns’ blood is being shed on both sides of the border,” said ANP provincial president Afrasiyab Khattak while speaking at a press conference here on Tuesday.

He said that ANP was ready to play its role in de-escalating tension between the two countries. Both Islamabad and Kabul should resolve differences through diplomacy, he added.

Mr Khattak said that tripartite commission comprising Pakistan, Afghanistan and the USA should resume talks and Pakistan-Afghanistan joint peace jirga should also be reactivated.

“Both countries should stop allegations and convene meetings of the tripartite commission and peace jirga,” he suggested, adding that Pakhtuns were victims of the bloody game.

Mr Khattak who has been recently appointed as Peace Envoy for the NWFP government said that his party was concerned at the law and order situation in Fata and asked federal government to properly handle situation in the region.

“There is confusion. Nobody knows who is running affairs of Fata,” he remarked, adding that federal government had planned to form special task force for the tribal areas. He said that ANP had not been provided the blue print of the task force.

Under Article 246 and 247 of the 1973 Constitution, he said, Fata came under the jurisdiction of the President and provincial government could not intervene in its affairs. “Presently there is a vacuum, because the President appeared non-functional,” he said, adding that the centre should take the provincial government on board to remove uncertainty in the area.

He said that prime minister had constituted a commission to bring judicial and administrative reforms in Fata. For this purpose, he said, ANP had nominated senior lawyer Latif Afridi for the commission, but the body did not call its meeting.

“Fata has been over investigated, but less implemented region,” he observed, saying that federal government should expedite peace process to bring normalcy in the area. He expressed satisfaction over the peace deal with local Taliban in Swat. He said that provincial government was sincere to implement the agreement in letter and sprit. He added that amount had been allocated in the provincial annual development programme for the Imam Dheri seminary that would be converted into an Islamic University while more prisoners would be freed.

During press conference a prominent political figure Nisar Khan Mohmand along with elders of the disputed settled areas of Peshawar and Charsadda announced joining ANP. Peshawar High Court Bar Association president Lateef Afridi was also present on the occasion.