Forging consensus: ANP’s all-parties conference on February 14

Haji Adeel says his party has contacted almost all political parties to get them on board.

PESHAWAR:

The Awami National Party (ANP) has decided to hold its all parties conference (APC) on February 14.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) have agreed to attend the APC aimed at forging a consensus on terrorism and talks with the Taliban. However, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have hinted their reluctance in joining the conference.

ANP senior vice president Senator Haji Adeel said his party has contacted almost all political parties to get them on board. “The feedback we received so far has been good,” he said, adding that most political groups are attending the meeting.

Adeel said details about the meeting will be shared in a press conference today at the Frontier House in Islamabad.

The idea of the APC was initiated after the assassination of ANP senior leader and provincial minister Bashir Ahmad Bilour in December 2012. Bilour was killed in a suicide attack claimed by the Taliban.

Initially two of the country’s largest religious parties, JUI-F and JI refused to be a part of the APC. However, ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan took it upon himself to persuade JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to attend the moot, who later agreed.

PML-N’s Nawaz Sharif also took his time to respond to the invitation and gave his decision on Saturday.

JI cited the government’s use of force against Bara tribesmen at a protest outside the Governor House as their reason for not attending the APC.

Earlier last month, Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain told the provincial assembly that his party was in contact with other parties to hold talks with the Taliban. “Once political parties arrive at a joint decision, we will also take the military leadership on board” he said, withdrawing their earlier condition for militants to drop arms if they want to hold talks.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 11^th, 2013.