Sunday, January 25, 2009

Regional peace hinges on peaceful Pakistan, says Asfandyar




PESHAWAR: ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan has said peace could not be established in Afghanistan and India without peaceful Pakistan.
Addressing a huge gathering of party workers here at Nishtar Hall to observe the death anniversaries of Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Khan Abdul Wali Khan on Sunday, he said: "We believe in the politics of non-violence as preached by Bacha Khan." Asfand said that he was ready to hold talks with suicide attackers.
ANP chief said that Pakistan could not be termed a federation without giving provincial autonomy to all four provinces. He said that besides Pakistan and Afghanistan, India is also facing the threat of terrorism.
War is not the solution to any issue, he said and added that war between two nuclear-armed neighbours would tear down the humanity only.
Asfandyar Wali Khan said that durable and long-lasting peace in the world especially in South Asia can be ensured by following the non-violence philosophy of late Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan alias Bacha Khan and Khan Abdul Wali Khan.
He said that he was ready for talks with militants if they surrender, accept government's writ and laid down arms. "War is no solution to problems and issues can be solved through dialogue and table talks."
He said: "We were not afraid of those who are giving us life threats and are ready to face any kind of situation for sake of people."
He said that war is no solution to problems and he was ready to hold talks with those who plotted suicide attack against him at his residence in Charsadda.
Asfandyar Wali Khan advocated provincial autonomy to all four provinces and also explained his party's stance on 17th amendment and procedure in amendments in the constitution.
Former NWFP ANP President Begum Nasim Wali Khan said that it was high time to identify the enemy as Pakthuns are being killed under well-conceived conspiracy. He stressed unity among Pakhtuns to foil the conspiracy against them. She urged people and party workers to spread the non-violence message of Bacha Khan to each and every corner of the province, country and world.
ANP's provincial president Afrasiab Khan Khattak and Federal Minister for Railways Ghulam Ahmed Bilour besides MNAs, provincial ministers, MPAs and ANP leaders attended the 21st death anniversary of Bacha Khan.
Special functions were held across the province where people and party activists paid rich tributes to the Pakthun nationalist leaders.

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