SWABI: Awami National Party central leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain has accused the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf of not concentrating on countering the menace of terrorism and rather focused on getting party founder Imran Khan released from jail.

He made the remarks while addressing a function in Kotha village of Topi, where a number of families joined ANP.

Mr Hussain said that if the PTI leaders were interested in ending terrorism, they would have focused on its eradication but it was very sad to say that terrorism was increasing by the day and the PTI leaders were only concentrating on protests.

He said when Awami National Party took power in the province, there were schools but no teachers, there were police stations but no personnel, and there were courts but no judges. He said none of these buildings had Pakistani flag hoisted on them. “It were the soldiers of Bacha Khan who hoisted the Pakistani flag on all these buildings.”

“Despite adverse environment, the ANP government held talks with the terrorists in the Malakand division for the sake of peace,” Mr Hussain said.

The seasoned politician said that if anyone had held meaningful and successful talks with the terrorists despite all the difficulties it was the leadership of ANP. “No one else had conducted fruitful dialogue with them. And over the last 13 years, the PTI has completely ignored the issue of terrorism,” he lamented.

Mr Hussain urged the ANP workers to overwhelmingly participate in the death anniversary functions of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Khan Abdul Wali Khan in Charsadda.

“All Pakhtuns from across the province should participate in those gatherings,” he said.

He welcomed the new entrants into the party fold, and told them that they had joined a party that had always fought for the rights of Pakhtuns.

Party’s senior leader Sardar Hussain Babak and others also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2026