Pulling focus: ANP accuses PTI of diverting attention from IDPs

Asfandyar Wali asks governor to get CM to clarify his position on civil disobedience .

PESHAWAR:

Blaming the provincial and federal governments of being negligent towards the plight of IDPs, ANP chief Asfandyar Wali on Thursday said PTI’s sit-in in Islamabad has diverted the government’s attention away from North Waziristan’s displaced people.

Addressing journalists following a meeting of ANP’s Pakhtunkhwa Working Committee at a local hotel, Asfandyar said the issue of displaced people made headlines initially, but then the Model Town incident and subsequent PTI and Tahirul Qadri’s protests shifted focus away from the matter.



“In the aftermath of the 2005 earthquake and Malakand exodus, the international community came to our aid. However, this time, the Islamabad sit-in stole the limelight from the North Waziristan IDPs,” said Asfandyar. He accused the federal and provincial governments of negligence in dealing with the aftermath of Operation Zarb-e-Azb in the shape of a displaced population.

According to the ANP chief, his party has arranged a grand tribal jirga in Islamabad on November 22 to discuss the problems that displaced people are facing. He said all Pukhtun leaders will participate in the moot.

Lashing out

Directing criticism towards the PTI-led government in K-P, Asfandyar said incidents of extortion have increased to such an extent that even provincial ministers are paying extortionists. However, the leader did not mention any names of ministers. “How can such a government provide protection to the citizens,” he questioned.

Asfandyar further said development work carried out by the previous ANP government was being undone in the province under the PTI’s slogan of change. “ANP will not stay silent on this issue; no one in K-P can silence us,” he stated.

The ANP leader also asked K-P Governor Mehtab Ahmed Khan to ask Chief Minister Pervez Khattak to clear his position on the announcement of civil disobedience made by PTI chief Imran Khan.

“Khattak was standing next to Imran Khan when he announced civil disobedience. The governor should ask the CM to clarify his position on whether he supports his party line or not,” said Asfandyar.

The leader further said ANP was looking forward to local government polls because every political party’s position will become clear in them.

Paying tribute to party workers in the Frontier Regions and the tribal areas, Asfandyar said it is not an easy job to do political work under the ANP’s name.

‘Do your bit first’

Meanwhile, in a statement issued on Tuesday, ANP Central General Secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain urged the provincial government to fulfil its responsibilities regarding the IDPs instead of engaging in a blame game with the federal government.

“During ANP’s government, when displaced people from Bajaur, Orakzai and Khyber agencies came to K-P, the provincial government supported them fully instead of shifting responsibility,” said Hussain. He added the provincial government should do its part first and then look elsewhere for help.

“PTI chief Imran Khan should bid adieu to the politics of accusations and concentrate on the IDPs as it will be good for his politics,” the statement quoted Hussain as saying.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 21^st, 2014.