Lashing out: ANP dubs recent threats a ‘conspiracy’ against party
Senator Afrasiab Khattak accuses ECP of failing to provide security.
Senator Afrasiab Khattak (right), ANP provincial leader Tajuddin Khan (centre) and former sports minister Aqil Shah (left) address journalists at the Peshawar Press Club. PHOTO MUHAMMAD IQBAL/EXPRESS
PESHAWAR:
The Awami National Party (ANP) on Monday claimed the interim government and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) were not taking attacks on party members seriously and accused concerned authorities of trying to sabotage ANP’s election campaign.
“We ask the ECP to take notice of threats against the party and to provide a level playing field to all political parties contesting in the elections,” ANP’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) President Senator Afrasiab Khattak said during a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club on Monday.
“Extremist elements are after the ANP. The party is not going to yield to these threats and will not allow them to derail us and bring fundamentalist forces to the fore instead,” Khattak said while referring to recent attacks on the party’s members.
Soon after assuming power following the 2008 general elections, the ANP openly challenged militants. This vociferous stance against militancy cost the party several leaders and activists in targeted attacks.
In the past two weeks, ANP leaders have narrowly dodged five attacks. Five sustained injuries while Mukarram Shah, ANP leader in Swat, was killed in a bomb explosion. ANP is also among the ‘secular’ parties Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has warned against conducting public rallies.
“ECP ignored the warnings issued by terrorist groups to the political parties,” said Khattak, questioning: “How can there be free and fair elections under such conditions?”
He also took pot shots at the caretaker government, criticising it for not creating a favourable environment for holding free and fair elections. He maintained ANP has doubts over the ECP’s impartiality and whether it would be able to remain neutral.
Khattak said ANP has written a letter to ECP requesting security for the party’s leadership and urged other parties to stand up against extremists who pose a challenge to them as well. He suggested concerned quarters meet observers from the European Union and inform them about ‘ground realities.”
Khattak also asked the ECP to reconsider the appointment of controversial officials, particularly the Peshawar capital police chief whose cousin is contesting the elections.
Also present at the conference, Provincial General Secretary Arbab Tahir, former information minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain and former sports minister Aqil Shah expressed reservations over the ECP’s decision to withdraw security cover from the party’s leadership.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 16th, 2013.
The Awami National Party (ANP) on Monday claimed the interim government and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) were not taking attacks on party members seriously and accused concerned authorities of trying to sabotage ANP’s election campaign.
“We ask the ECP to take notice of threats against the party and to provide a level playing field to all political parties contesting in the elections,” ANP’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) President Senator Afrasiab Khattak said during a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club on Monday.
“Extremist elements are after the ANP. The party is not going to yield to these threats and will not allow them to derail us and bring fundamentalist forces to the fore instead,” Khattak said while referring to recent attacks on the party’s members.
Soon after assuming power following the 2008 general elections, the ANP openly challenged militants. This vociferous stance against militancy cost the party several leaders and activists in targeted attacks.
In the past two weeks, ANP leaders have narrowly dodged five attacks. Five sustained injuries while Mukarram Shah, ANP leader in Swat, was killed in a bomb explosion. ANP is also among the ‘secular’ parties Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has warned against conducting public rallies.
“ECP ignored the warnings issued by terrorist groups to the political parties,” said Khattak, questioning: “How can there be free and fair elections under such conditions?”
He also took pot shots at the caretaker government, criticising it for not creating a favourable environment for holding free and fair elections. He maintained ANP has doubts over the ECP’s impartiality and whether it would be able to remain neutral.
Khattak said ANP has written a letter to ECP requesting security for the party’s leadership and urged other parties to stand up against extremists who pose a challenge to them as well. He suggested concerned quarters meet observers from the European Union and inform them about ‘ground realities.”
Khattak also asked the ECP to reconsider the appointment of controversial officials, particularly the Peshawar capital police chief whose cousin is contesting the elections.
Also present at the conference, Provincial General Secretary Arbab Tahir, former information minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain and former sports minister Aqil Shah expressed reservations over the ECP’s decision to withdraw security cover from the party’s leadership.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 16th, 2013.