Policy changes: Talks possible with militants, ANP spells out preconditions

Women activists at a ceremony honouring Bacha Khan and Wali Khan. PHOTO: INP

PESHAWAR: Awami National Party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan said on Thursday that his government was ready to hold talks with militants on the condition that they renounce violence and accept the writ of the government.

“We will continue to face violence with non-violence, which has been our consistent policy throughout our history,” the ANP chief told a congregation on the eve of the death anniversary of the party founder Baacha Khan and Abdul Wali Khan at the Tehmash Football Stadium.

In a marked departure from his party stance over Fata’s future, Asfandyar said it was up to the tribesmen to accept a merger of the tribal agencies into Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa or form their own province. The ANP leader said that he would accept any decision, adding that 2012 will be celebrated as the Year of Fata.

At the same time, the ANP chief said that his party would not support any undemocratic moves.

“Some elements are spreading rumours about the future of the democratic set-up. However, we have to acknowledge the supremacy of parliament,” he said.

He also called upon Afghanis­tan and Pakistan to sit together to find a solution to problems. “We want peace in both Afghanistan and Pakistan and peace can be brought through talks, not war,” he said.

Asfandyar further said that Baacha Khan introduced non-violence and human rights at a time when no one was aware of these issues.

He pointed out that even though Baacha Khan and Wali Khan were omitted from textbooks of schools, colleges and universities in Pakistan, they were alive in the memories of people.

The government has suggested renaming Peshawar International Airport as Baacha Khan International Airport. A resolution in this regard has already been approved by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, he said.

The party’s provincial chief Afrasyab Khattak said that ANP was the largest political party of the province, adding that so far about 2.3 million people have joined the party’s membership drive.

He added that the party has sacrificed about 500 of its activists in the war on terror.

Speaking at the occasion, K-P Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti said that the ANP was the sole power in the province.

Hoti focused on the ANP’s achievements in the past four years and said that it was his government which increased the Annual Development Programme (ADP) to about 80% for the first time in history. He added that his government also launched the Rs2 billion Baacha Khan Employment Scheme in the province.

This was the first major ANP public meeting in Peshawar since the past few years and took place in open air for the first time since the ANP government came into power. Although a large number of police personnel were deployed for the congregation, security was still lax, as frisking was not carried out at the entrance nor were there any walkthrough gates.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27^th, 2012.