ANP asks other parties to join protest against ‘engineered’ elections

PESHAWAR: Provincial president of the Awami National Party Mian Iftikhar Hussain has said that his party will welcome all political parties to join them in the protest against what he called “engineered general elections” held on February 8.

Addressing a news conference here at Bacha Khan Markaz after the maiden meeting of the ANP office-bearers for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Thursday, he said the ANP would continue the protest movement started by his predecessor Aimal Wali Khan against alleged engineered and rigged elections in the country.

“Almost all political parties have declared the February 8 polls as rigged and engineered and even those who are in power as a result of the last elections have not accepted its results,” he said and added that the political parties must learn a lesson from the alleged interference of establishment in the democratic and political process in the country.

The newly elected president of the ANP was flanked by provincial senior vice-president Syed Aqil Shah, provincial general secretary Hussain Shah Yusufzai and other party office-bearers.

Mian Iftikhar said the elected government must review foreign and domestic policies and develop cordial relations with its neighbors while the National Action Plan must be implemented its true spirit to end militancy and lawlessness.

“Improving law and order is the responsibility of the provincial government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa must take practical steps against the fresh wave of militancy in the southern districts of the province,” he said and added that the ANP had grave concerns and reservations over the increasing militancy in the province. “Like in the past, we will not remain silent spectators to the regrouping and reorganization of the militants on our soil,” the ANP leader added.

To a question, the ANP leader said that all institutions must remain in their constitutional domains and stop interference in other state institutions.

“The political parties and politicians should focus their strength and energies for the supremacy of parliament, constitution, the rule of law and strengthening of democratic institutions,” he said and added that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leadership had unfortunately refused to talk to political parties and civilian government and preferred to talk to the military establishment.

Mian Iftikhar said the high inflation and economic instability were not due to IMF conditions but the successive governments had failed to adopt and implement a workable economic policy.

“The previous PDM government and now the PMLN-led government gave no relief to the common people instead put the burden of price hike on the already hard-pressed people,” he said and advised the government must provide relief to the common people.

The ANP leader asked for reforms and appointment of new vice-chancellors for the public universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that were already passing through financial crises.

He also asked for a solid and workable policy on the environment as climatic change had triggered disasters in the province.

Mian Iftikhar dispelled the impression of any internal differences in the ANP at the central and provincial level and said that the party would carve out future policy after choosing new office-bearers at the central level on May 5 in Peshawar.