PESHAWAR, Aug 21: Awami National Party (ANP) central president Asfandyar Wali Khan has demanded a judicial probe into the killing of four people in Akora Khattak during polling on Aug 18, 2005.

Expressing deep concern over the incident, the ANP chief said his party followed the policy of non-violence of its founder Abdul Ghaffar Khan.

In a statement issued here on Sunday, he said party workers could not even think of resorting to violence, because it was against the spirit of the party’s manifesto.

Involvement of ANP’s leaders or workers in such incidents, he said, was out of question.

“We regard politics as a way of serving the masses and worship. We can neither commit violence nor can violate law,” Mr Khan said. Pukhtuns were themselves victims of violence and, therefore, they hated it in all its forms and manifestations, he said.

Mr Khan said his party MPA and workers accused in the killings had surrendered to police instead of getting bail before arrest. They wanted to help police in investigating the case properly. Their surrender had prevented more violence, he said.

He said the incident demanded an impartial judicial probe.

FIRING CASE: The Peshawar District and Sessions Judge, Shahjehan Khan Akhundzada on Saturday granted interim pre-arrest bail to a newly-elected nazim of a union council, charged under the Anti-terrorism Act.

The judge ordered the nazim of Lahori union council, Tariq Aziz to furnish two-sureties of Rs 100,000 each on Monday.

The court would fix next date of hearing for confirmation of the bail on Monday.

The local police have charged Tariq Aziz and some of his supporters of resorting to firing after the returning officer announced their victory.

Police alleged that the jubilant supporters of Tariq Aziz started aerial firing which resulted in injuries to three persons including two children.

The FIR was lodged against them under section seven of the Anti-terrorism Act, and section 148 and 149 of Pakistan Penal Code and section 13 of Arms Ordinance. Advocate Muhim Afridi appeared for the applicant and contended that he was falsely implicated in the case.

The police have also arrested ten of his supporters. They were produced before the same court on Saturday and were sent to the judicial lock-up.

The local police requested the court for remanding them into the custody of police. The court turned down their request and sent them to prison.