QUETTA, June 22: Poverty, illiteracy and lack of development are not the Pakhtuns' fate but are the results of the exploitation of their resources by usurpers, says leader of the Awami National Party Begum Nasim Wali Khan.

She was speaking at a public meeting at Loralai on the eve of the oath-taking ceremony of the Pakhtun Students Federation. Begum Wali Khan said that the country needed a strong parliament instead of a powerful prime minister to resolve political issues confronting the smaller provinces.

She asserted that the ANP was very clear on issues, including constitutional rule, elected democratic government, autonomy to federating units, independent judiciary, and foreign policy.

Begum Wali Khan said that the party's leadership had neither compromised on the national rights of Pakhtuns nor surrendered before the dictators on issues of constitutional rule and elected parliament.

She said that the country was passing through a serious crisis, adding that any move on the part of the government to impose decision unilaterally would create further complications causing serious repercussions.

Begum Wali said that the ANP had been stressing the need for settling political and constitutional issues through political dialogue among the political parties that enjoyed the people's support.

She warned that political vacuum could not be filled artificially and said that by isolating popular political parties would weaken institutions and harm the country's integrity. The ANP leader criticized the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) leadership for not keeping their electoral promises and said that the leadership of the religious alliance had forgotten their promises after coming to power.