DLP Report
PESHAWAR
Awami National Party (ANP) Central President Aimal Wali Khan on Thursday said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and its people were “paying the price for love with a prisoner,” alleging that political indifference had worsened the security situation in the province.
Referring to recent attacks, he said that 16 police and Frontier Corps personnel had been martyred in various terrorist incidents over the past three days, while a number of civilians had also lost their lives.
“These are not just numbers; these are the lights of homes that have been extinguished forever,” he said, adding that several injured personnel were still fighting for their lives.
Mr Khan said the youth who stood for the writ of the state were not being fully supported by the state and the government. He maintained that the deterioration of peace in the province was not merely an administrative failure but the result of political indifference. The ANP leader said when governments were not serious and prioritised power over people, such outcomes followed.
He alleged that tackling terrorism did not appear among the top priorities of the provincial government.
Referring to past criticism of his party, Mr Khan said the current ruling party had accused the ANP of “trading the heads of Pakhtuns” and alleged that the party had taken dollars in return for peace. “Despite all allegations and propaganda, we fought terrorism head-on,” he said, questioning who had been “trading the blood of Pakhtuns” over the past 13 years.
He said that when a province was engulfed in unrest, governments should make firm decisions rather than issue statements of helplessness. “If helplessness is the response to every issue, then what is the justification for remaining in power?” he asked, alleging that both the provincial and federal governments were avoiding their constitutional responsibilities.
“This land cannot afford more dead bodies. Further experiments must stop,” he said, adding that the ANP had opposed terrorism in the past, continued to oppose it and would do so in the future. He said the party would keep raising its voice at every forum for lasting peace in the province.
