In harmony: Aftab Sherpao hails Kabul-Taliban talks

Terms trust-building critical for durable peace in region

PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party Chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao has welcomed peace talks between the Afghan government and the Afghan Taliban.

Addressing a party meeting  in the city on Sunday, he said both parties should take practical steps to minimise trust deficit and ensure durable peace in the region. Flanked by his son, QWP Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Sikandar Khan Sherpao and Central Secretary General Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli, he said the party is committed to the cause of the Pukhtuns.



The QWP supremo said Pukhtuns form the second largest ethnic group in the country. “We have rendered incalculable sacrifices in the war against terror but they are never acknowledged,” he said. “The constant negligence has given rise to a sense of deprivation amongst the people of K-P.”

The meeting was attended by QWP’s central and provincial leadership as well as lawmakers. Aftab reviewed matters pertaining to party organisation and policy guidelines in light of current happenings.

“If our rights are not usurped, we can play a vital role in the development of the country,” he said, adding the federal government has done little to address their grievances. He said unannounced and prolonged power outages brought life to a standstill in the province.

“K-P has large reservoirs of oil, gas and mineral resources yet its people are living miserable lives,” he said. Aftab said uncertainty among the Pukhtuns would only aggravate the problems and proactive measures were a need of the hour.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 13^th, 2015.