KARACHI:
Awami National Party President Aimal Wali Khan on Sunday called for a comprehensive and uncompromising policy to eliminate terrorism and extremism, rejecting any distinction between “good” and “bad” Taliban and urging the government to address the issue with clarity and consistency.
Khan was addressing a large public meeting organized by ANP Sindh at Shahrah-e-Quaidain in Karachi to commemorate the 38th death anniversary of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, also known as Bacha Khan, and the 20th death anniversary of late ANP leader Khan Abdul Wali Khan.
Khan said if the state had declared Khawarij and Fitna-e-Hindustan terrorists, then accountability should be applied uniformly, including the former rulers, whom he accused of facilitating the entry of Taliban and terrorists into Pakistan.
He maintained that peace in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) cannot be achieved through repeated operations, and emphasized that the Centre, the provincial government and all stakeholders must jointly formulate a coordinated strategy to restore it in this regard.
He said the Pashtuns had no connection with the TTP or the PTI, adding that they were a peace-loving people and their collective suffering was often exploited through flawed policies and misplaced accusations.
He said public problems could only be resolved through an empowered local government system and strengthening the 18th Constitutional Amendment, arguing that true devolution of power was essential to address long-standing governance failures.
Referring to Pakistan’s participation in the Gaza Peace Board, the ANP leader demanded that confidence be taken in parliament, insisting that foreign policy decisions of such magnitude required democratic consultations and transparency.
Referring to the Gul Plaza fire tragedy, he described it as a reflection of systemic decay and corruption, and criticized the PPP and MQM for indulging in blame games instead of focusing on healing the wounds of the affected families.
He said the ANP was ready to work with all political forces for the development of Karachi, emphasizing that collective responsibility, rather than point-scoring, was needed to address the city’s deep-rooted administrative and social challenges.
Paying tribute to the party workers, Senator Aimal Wali Khan said that the ANP was not just a political party but a movement, and promised to carry forward the philosophy of peace and non-violence espoused by Bacha Khan and Wali Khan.
He said the Pashtuns in Karachi had clearly demonstrated their loyalty to peace and the ANP, reiterating that they did not support extremism nor had any association with terrorist organizations or violent political narratives.
Highlighting the situation in Tirah, he said the Pashtuns had been abandoned and were distressed by the ongoing operations, accusing the Center of indifference and the KP government of behaving irresponsibly.
