DLP Report
PESHAWAR
Awami National Party (ANP) senior leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain has strongly condemned the Punjab government’s refusal to grant a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the party’s scheduled rally at Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh, terming it a politically motivated decision against democratic values and fundamental rights.
In a statement issued from the party headquarters, Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that obstructing the anniversary celebrations of renowned leaders Bacha Khan and Khan Abdul Wali Khan was an attack on freedom of expression and democratic traditions.
He emphasized that Bacha Khan was a pioneer of peace and non-violence, while Wali Khan stood for the supremacy of democracy and the rule of law.
He questioned why Punjab was barring political gatherings when similar events had been held peacefully across the country, from Karachi to Khyber and Shangla.
ANP leader maintained that if Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province facing rising terrorism, could manage such events peacefully, then there should be no justification for restrictions in Punjab.
“The world today needs the ideology of Bacha Khan and Wali Khan more than ever,” he said, warning that closing political avenues would only push people toward undemocratic alternatives.
He urged the government to reconsider its decision and refrain from actions that provoke peaceful political activists.
Mian Iftikhar furthered that the ANP had completed all preparations for the event, and the last-minute refusal to grant permission was unjustifiable. He called on the authorities to uphold democratic values and ensure that political parties are allowed to function without undue restrictions.
