ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan. PHOTO: FILE
Speaking in a press conference, he said that the attacks by the Taliban on the Dera Ismail Khan Central Jail reveal that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provincial government had no writ, while militants patrolled the outskirts of Peshawar.
Wali Khan said that if the peace talks were to fail, then the killing of innocent people would never be allowed at the hands of the militants and that he would support a military operation, as the ANP had previously supported military operations in Swat and Malakand.
Political ownership for military operations against militants was necessary, he said.
ANP leader Wali Khan came to his home town Charsadda for Eid-ul-Fitr after five years and spent three days in Wali Bagh where ANP leaders, MNAs, MPAs and party workers met him under tight security.
Wali Khan had left Charsadda for Islamabad in 2008 when he faced a suicide attack on Eid that left his personal guard dead. He did not even come back to cast his vote in the 2013 general elections, in which he was defeated by JUI-F leader MNA Gauhar Shah by a big margin. His stepmother Begum Naseem also criticised him at his defeat for ignoring his home town.
All Party Conference
Wali Khan condemned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan over his stance on the All Party Conference (APC) and said that Imran Khan’s demands were baseless, since the PTI Chairman did not represent Sindh and Balochistan, only KP.
Wali Khan said that acts such as the KP Chief Minister calling militants ‘friends’ and reactions against drone attacks in Waziristan springing up from Peshawar and other parts of KP have led to low morale among law enforcement forces.
Afghanistan
Wali Khan also stress the need for a concrete policy for Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO and US troops from Afghanistan in 2014, adding that an absence of such a policy would lead to more bloodshed in the tribal belt.
He said the previous Pakistan Peoples Party government practiced a free foreign policy that had never been dictated by the army.
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excuse me Mr. Correspondent! its not "Wali Khan" but Asfandyar Wali.
@Lt Col Imtiaz Alam(retd): Then why is there a hesitancy to employ army against them,and rid Pakistan of them?
Recognising taliban as an independent force is itself disturbing. Allowing taliban to have a minister... Woof!!! Have we accepted that talibsn ate here to stay??? Utterly disturbing!!!
Dear Asfandyar you should to reshuffle your all candidate which are all old persons did not delivered anything even common thing like in karachi still now your party persons want bribe for making CNIC you should to check you all parties member that who are currupt.
@Umer: But he was the one in POWER for 5 years. He could not even come up with a policy to counter terrorism. In fact, never made such a demand to the federal government (where his party was represented).
In Afghanistan, Pakistan wants that Taliban should be sharing the power. Day is not far when the same will be happening in Pakistan. Taliban will spread like communism. More and more Muslim countries will come under Talibanism. In Pakistan there is a fairly large constituency which will like Taliban rule.
Asfandiar Wali is the most mature politician of Pakistan. His party has struggled a lot against militancy. A single party having a very clear stance against militancy. Imran Khan claimed to a brave, but he is the most confused, and naive politician of the country. His party in KP is senseless, naive, cowardice. The KP govt is being dictating from Lahore which is a matter of serious concern for the people of KP.
All the dead rd shirts must be teeming in their graves at this charlatan. He is a disgrace to his party and ideology. Bacha Khan was a great leader, unfortunately he didn't leave behind a credible heir.
This is truly sad. Criticize them all you want, but ANP was the only secular political party that put up a head-on fight with the TTP in their home ground, and their struggle and sacrifices went for nothing as the May elections' result showed. This statement by Asfandyar sounds like he's openly admitting defeat to the TTP.
@Lahori:
What do you mean? He is not the one sponsoring terrorists like Lashkar e Jhangvi, someone else does. He is not the one who asked Taliban to go blow themselves up in other provinces, someone else did.
Mr. Asfandyar Wali,
What you and your party leaders could not achieve in five years of rule in KPK, now you expect that from the newly elected government in less than three months?
Is this bravery and act of heroism that you ran away from your constituency after you were sadly attacked by the militants and did not even return to cast your own vote? What actions for negotiations did you take during your party's rule? Let PTI settle down in KPK and give them a reasonable amount of time and let's see how they perform.
Personally I consider you a level headed person and request you to act like one as well.
@Lt Col Imtiaz Alam(retd): WOW, You say "these militants are mercenaries of the CIA, MOSAD & RAW"!!! But you didn't tell us how you know that! (BTW, that is spelled Mossad!)
He is a mature politician.
Asfandyar Wali Khan is living in a Fool's paradise. His party patronized the Militants for five years. These Militants are mercenaries of the CIA, MOSAD & RAW. Naturally the lackey's of the US. He himself is the lackey of the US.
Mr. Asfandaryar! So finally you got some free time from your ventures in Dubai and Malaysia.? Good to see, because you were very busy during the ANP government. Then, you had no time for peace talks, when people were being murdered.
Look who's talking!
He did not even come back to cast his vote in the 2008 general elections is wrong its 2013 elections.
asfandyar wali could not even retain his seat Charsadda and talks about kpk...
Government should give legal status to Taliban with a minster for them, no one else aide of Mr Wali - Railways walay Bilore Bhai. And imagine the fate of Taliban- gonna vanish from this earth. Best solution of handling with Taliban
lol. What a turnaround !!!
After seeing their govt's performance in last five years, one doesn't even want to know what they say. Except for doing corruption, they did absolutely nothing. Just saying that taliban and terrorists are bad isn't enough, their govt did nothing to curb militancy. If PTI fails, they'll meet the same fate as you but for now, you just need to keep shut.
ghawalo ta ta gora.... why didn't you bring peace in your tenure.