ANP urges peaceful ties with Afghanistan

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa President of the Awami National Party (ANP), Mian Iftikhar Hussain, has emphasized that cordial, peaceful, and trade-based relations with all neighboring countries, including Afghanistan, are a critical necessity of the time.

Speaking at an event organized by the Khudai Khidmatgar Organization at the Bacha Khan Centre, the provincial ANP chief, who also serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Khudai Khidmatgar Organization, stated that Pakistan's role as a mediator in the Iran-US conflict is commendable.

He noted that a ceasefire was reached between Pakistan and India last year in just four days. However, he lamented that the Pashtun homeland has been plagued by continuous war, terrorism, and bloodshed for the past five decades. "Blood is being spilled daily in Pakhtunkhwa, and the question remains: who will end this ongoing war and terrorism in the region? he asked.

Hussain reaffirmed that the ANP adheres to Bacha Khan's philosophy of non-violence, stressing that war does not resolve issues but rather exacerbates them. He called for all problems with Afghanistan to be resolved through diplomatic and political means instead of war, as the violence disproportionately affects the Pashtun nation on both sides of the border.

He further stated that peaceful relations could open new avenues for peace, development, and prosperity in the region. However, he accused certain forces of turning instability in Pashtun lands into a profitable business, saying, "This conflict is being played out to seize control of the region's resources and minerals."