'ANP to defend K-P's rights under 18th amendment'

SWABI:

Awami National Party (ANP) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa President Mian Iftikhar Hussain has vowed that his party will continue to defend the province's constitutional rights over its resources and play an active role in restoring peace and stability in the region.

Addressing a large public gathering at Amir Abad Yaqubi, Swabi, held to welcome senior poet Amir Muhammad Khan Khadim into the ANP, Mian Iftikhar criticized the current government for its failure to ensure peace, stating that the province is once again facing a wave of lawlessness.

"From Kohat to Dera Ismail Khan, people are warned not to go out at night, even government officials stay indoors. If they can't move freely, who can? Terrorists rule the nights," he said.

He reminded the audience that despite losing over 1,200 party members and leaders to terrorism, the ANP government had successfully restored peace across the province, including in Malakand. "We never believed in 'good' or 'bad' Taliban. Peace can only come through eliminating terrorism and fostering friendly relations with Afghanistan and all neighboring countries. When there is peace around Pakistan, there will be peace within Pakistan," he emphasized.

Mian Iftikhar accused the current administration of pushing K-P centuries backward by eroding its cultural identity, traditions, and educational foundations. He claimed that deliberate changes to the educational curriculum have erased the mention of Pashtun heroes, history, and culture, leaving the younger generation disconnected from their roots.

He also criticized the privatization of public schools and colleges, and the alleged sale of government jobs for heavy bribes. "Ministers, secretaries, and officials have turned recruitment into a business. Jobs are being sold, not earned," he remarked.

Condemning Punjab's alleged suspension of flour supply to K-P, Mian Iftikhar warned of a strong reaction: "If wheat supply is blocked, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa can stop the flow of water and electricity from Ghazi Barotha Dam to Punjab. Then let's see how flour mills operate there."

He called upon the youth to step forward with wisdom and unity, describing them as the torchbearers of Bacha Khan's vision of truth, honesty, and democratic nationalism. "The movement for justice and equality begins from Swabi," he declared, urging all ANP workers to unite under the party's red flag for the province's political and constitutional rights.

The gathering was also addressed by ANP Tehsil President Razar Muhammad Ashfaq Khan Advocate.