Amidst crises: ANP invites parties to join hands for IDPs

Asfandyar Wali urges political leadership to keep differences aside and unite for the cause

PESHAWAR:

Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali Khan has invited four major power players of the province to join hands and collectively address the issue of displaced persons of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).

Addressing a jirga at Casa Loma Wedding Hall in the city on Monday, Asfandyar appealed to Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) chief Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) ameer Sirajul Haq and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai to keep political differences aside and unite for the cause of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and present a collective stance to the nation regarding the future of displaced people. Interestingly, he left out the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, which is the ruling party in the province.



The jirga was attended by a large number of tribesmen and political activists. It constituted representatives and retired and serving government officials of the Dawar, Wazir and Mehsud tribes. ANP General Secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Etihad Qabail chief Malik Khan Marjan, Dawar tribe chief Malik Khan Zaib and Mutasreen Qabail Committee chief Nisar Ali Khan Dawar were amongst the notables in attendance.

Asfandyar Wali Khan said that both the central and provincial governments have neglected the IDPs in the hour of distress and are busy with the infighting amongst political circles for power.

Asfandyar added that he has assigned ANP frontman Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour to contact other political parties over the issues of Fata and join in with ANP over its stance. Bilour will convince the political leaderships and convene a grand jirga in this regard at the earliest, he explained.

Asfandyar also took a jibe at the slogans of PTI and said that millions of Pukhtuns who were displaced in ‘old Pakistan’ (during the ANP-led provincial government) were treated far better than those who are suffering displacement in ‘Naya Pakistan’. The ANP chief demanded safe rehabilitation of IDPs to areas that have already been cleared of militant elements by the Pakistan Army. He claimed that Pukhtun lands are on the frontline of the ‘war of others’.

Asfandyar said that tribal students hold a significant role in the future of the country and the government should accommodate displaced students in schools, colleges and universities of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

He issued directives to the Baacha Khan Education Trust (BKET) to facilitate displaced students, saying it is surprising that not a single university exists in Fata.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 28^th, 2014.