CHARSADDA, Jan 24: Former provincial president of Awami National Party and late Khan Abdul Wali Khan’s wife Begum Naseem Wali Khan said she had decided to resume political activities on recovery from the emotional trauma of her husband and son’s sudden deaths.

Begum Naseem told office-bearers of Mohammadzai Union of Journalists here that the sudden death of her husband Khan Abdul Wali Khan followed the shocking death of her son Sangeen Wali Khan shocked her so much that she abandoned involvement in politics for the time being but as she had recovered from the trauma, she wanted to resume political activities under the ANP banner.

She said she had applied for an ANP ticket for the forthcoming Senate elections and it was the prerogative of the party’s parliamentary board to take a decision on it.

The ANP leader praised her father-in-law Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and husband Khan Abdul Wali Khan over struggle for the rights of Pakhtuns and also said the two served people and always worked for democracy.

“As politicians and social reformers, they laid down foundation of tolerance in politics and set golden principles for coming generations. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was a harbinger of change and always advocated non-violence,” she said.

Begum Naseem said Ghaffar Khan always supported jirga system instead of use of force for conflict resolution and stressed the need for peace and tolerance.

She said unfortunately, the land of Pakhtuns had been turned into a battlefield, where blood of innocent people was being shed for vested interests. She said peace-loving Pakhtuns were victims of violence and militancy.

The ANP leader said former military ruler Ziaul Haq introduced violence, corruption and other unhealthy trends in politics after holding general elections in 1985 on non-party basis.

She also blamed the ‘horse trading culture’ in politics on the Zia regime.

Begum Naseem claimed that currently, ANP was the country’s only ideological party, which had protected its ideology against all the odds.

She said the ANP’s overall political role under current circumstances was appreciative.

The ANP leader urged women to play their due political role and actively participate in the coming elections to claim their legal and constitutional rights.

Meanwhile, the central and provincial office-bearers of Pakhtun Student Federation visited Wali Bagh area in Charsadda district and laid a wreath on Khan Abdul Wali Khan’s grave before offering fateha for him. They also announced to actively mark the dead anniversaries of Wali Khan and Ghaffar Khan on January 26.—Correspondent