PESHAWAR, April 29: NWFP Chief Minister NWFP Amir Haider Khan Hoti has said that certain forces were out to derail the peace process initiated by his government. He pledged to do all that was possible to restore peace in the province and the adjoining tribal areas.
“There are certain forces which are out to derail and sabotage the peace process. But this is our province, our soil and we will do all that is possible to restore peace and give people a sense of security,” Mr Hoti said during the oath taking ceremony of Peshawar Press Club cabinet on Tuesday.
He said that peace in the tribal region was linked to peace in Afghanistan which had a snowball effect on some of the districts of NWFP too. He said that he had asked the federal government to expedite its peace efforts in the federally administered tribal regions.
NWFP Minister for Information Mian Iftikhar Hussain was also present on the occasion. Peshawar Press Club president Mohammad Riaz presented welcome address.
Separately, Mr Hoti told journalists that in order to ensure peace both local Taliban and the federal government would have to show flexibility. He said that the local militants would have to understand that the government could not withdraw forces from the tribal region as it would create vacuum.
He told journalists that the coalition government was taking confidence building measures for the restoration of lasting peace in the province and in this connection agreement had been reached with Tahrik Nifaz Shariat-i-Muhammadi (TNSM).
Describing Sufi Mohammad as an innocent old man, the chief minister said that the TNSM leader had started playing his role in bringing peace to the Malakand region. He admitted that Sufi Mohammad was charged in several fake cases. “Ask anyone in Swat whether they want roads or schools and they would tell you that they want peace first and foremost,” he remarked.
Terming situation in Fata and the province very complicated, he said that the task was not so easy and was time consuming. “This is not a minor dispute between two villages or two tribes. It has many factors and many powers are involved, but the government will not give up its efforts,” he added.
Mr Hoti said that past government’s policies to resolve issues through the use of force aggravated the situation further. “The problem that was previously confined to South Waziristan only has now spread to other areas,” he said.
“We have two options: either to sit idle and watch our home burnt down or take collective decision to stop this destruction,” he said, adding that people had given mandate to his party to restore peace in the province.
He said that a broad-based grand jirga was being formed to resolve the issue that would include people from all segments of the society including representatives of the media.The chief minister said that coalition government would continue its efforts for financial and political autonomy of the province. He said that provincial government could not achieve its objectives without financial resources and for this purpose coalition partners in the province would take up all relevant issues with the Centre.
He hoped that media would play its due role and provide guidance and proposal to the government. He said that free and independent media was need of the society. He vowed that provincial government would provide conducive environment to print and electronic media. He said that the Centre should delegate powers and autonomy to the province to utilise its own resources for the welfare of the people.
Responding to the demands presented by the Press Club’s cabinet, Mr Hoti said that the government would fulfil all genuine demands of the journalists. He made several announcements in this regard.