ANP to resist if PTI govt attacks 18th Amendment

F.P. Report

SWABI: Asfandyar Wali Khan, Awami National Party (ANP) president said here Friday that if Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government makes any attempt to reverse the Eighteen Amendment it would be resisted with full vigour. Addressing a public meeting which was organized near Panjpir Lara in honour of Saleem Khan advocate, former provincial general secretary of the party, to rejoin ANP, he said that the PTI leaders said that the Pakistan had turned economically weak due to 18th Amendment.

Under the accountability process, the PTI has targeted the leaders of the rival parties, he said, adding that the ruling party holy cows should also be brought into the accountability net by the government. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman should not become puppet of the PTI leadership, he demanded.

He said that the Federal Finance minister said that the country had became bankrupt and if it was not possible for the PTI leadership to run the affairs of the country they should immediately tendered resignation. Asfandyar said that the charming of Imran Khan’s politics had ended when he resumed power and look at the prevailing situation that earlier the leaders of the political parties were criticising each other but now abusive e language had been used.

“Those who said that 50 lakh houses would be built for the poverty-stricken people failed to deliver,” he said.  “The people came to know that hollow promises were made by PTI leadership.” He said that it was great surprise that Frontier Crimes Regulation (FRC) is no longer there but all decision about tribal regions are only made by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor, negating the PTI leaders policies and statements made about Fata.

Asfandyar said that though tribal regions had merged in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province but the required funds has not been provided for the development of these backward terrains, adopting different pretexts. He said that the tribal regions need immediate provision of funds and development work and the provision of various other facilities to eradicate the sense of deprivation prevailed in the local for years.

The KP Chief Minister is so helpless that he could not even ask for the right of the province and blindly followed the dictation got from the high command of the ruling party about the provincial affairs, he said. The inflation is high more than the previous five years and there is no ray of hope and the PTI leaders said that they had taken difficult decision to improve the fate of the people. In fact, the fate of the people is at stake, he said.

Mian Iftikhar, party general secretary criticised the PTI government and claimed that there is a grave threat to democracy in the shape of PTI leadership. “Prime Minister Imran Khan a threat to democracy,” he said. He said that establishment had boosted the PTI leaders and the establishment people had entered into the assemblies but now they had realized that they had used a miss round in shape of PTI berceuse their weakness are rapidly unfolding.

The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project is an utter failure and dates for its inauguration changed one after other and there was also the factor of corruption, he said. The BRT contract wass given to a blacklist company, he said. Saleem Khan advocate, former provincial general secretary of ANP formally announced to rejoin the party. , he said that though I was not part of the ANP for a few years but he had recognized that it is the only party in the country which works for the rights of Pakhtun. “I am happy to rejoin the caravan of Pakhtun leaders,” he said. Sardar Babak, provincial general secretary, and senior leader Latif Afridi also graced the gathering.