Outside K-P Assembly: ANP on hunger strike over blocked CNICs

Asfandyar slams K-P government for not playing any role in resolving the issue

PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali Khan has asked party’s parliamentarians to join Ghulam Ahmad Bilour in his call for hunger strike to pressure the interior ministry to unblock Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) of Pakhtuns.

Senior leader of the party Bilour has already announced his hunger strike in parliament against blockage of CNICs.

“We are going to hold a hunger strike outside parliament against the blockage of CNICs of Pakhtuns,” said Asfandyar on Tuesday while addressing a political gathering in Banamari area.

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“Why only the CNICs of Pakhtuns are blocked?” Asfandyar questioned the interior minister. “We have no option left but to protest to compel the government to unblock CNICs.”

Asfandyar said ANP parliamentarians will sit outside parliament until the issue is resolved.

The ANP chief also criticised the provincial government for not playing any role in resolving the issue that has affected thousands of families in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

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He warned that the protest of ANP will be different from the protest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf who only danced for several months in the federal capital.

The ANP chief said due to this unwise decision of the interior minister more than 450,000 families have been affected.

Asfandyar also criticised the prime minister over FATA reforms and asked him to clear his stance on the issue.