ANP paid in blood to restore peace: Mian Iftikhar

MINGORA: Awami National Party (ANP) provincial president Mian Iftikhar Hussain on Friday reiterated that peace in Swat and other parts of Malakand Division was restored through the sacrifices of ANP leaders and workers, not external assistance.

Speaking at a ceremony commemorating the death anniversaries of Bacha Khan and Khan Abdul Wali Khan at Wadudia Hall in Saidu Sharif, he said that the ANP had played a crucial role in eliminating terrorism from the region.

Recalling the past turmoil in Swat, Mian Iftikhar said that courts were nonfunctional, law enforcement was absent, and terrorists held the region hostage. He said that after failed peace talks, the ANP supported the military operations that ultimately cleared the area of militants.

“We did not achieve peace in Swat through charity; it was won through the blood and sacrifices of our leaders and workers, with the full support of the people of Swat,” he asserted.Mian Iftikhar said that ANP had fulfilled its promise by implementing a Sharia-based justice system in Malakand Division. However, despite that, Sufi Muhammad labeled democracy as un-Islamic and challenged the state, prompting another major operation to restore order.

Criticizing the PTI government, Mian Iftikhar claimed that its poor governance led to growing public dissatisfaction, which in turn strengthened support for ANP. He pointed to the successful rallies held across the province in honour of Bacha Khan and Wali Khan as evidence of the party’s enduring influence.

The ANP leader called for the full implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) to maintain a durable peace in the country. He urged the government to refrain from creating obstacles in ANP’s efforts, stressing the party’s unwavering commitment to peace and the rights of the Pakhtun people.

Other party leaders, including ANP central general secretary Dr Muhammad Salim Khan, provincial general secretary Shah Hussain, Swat district president Sher Shah Khan, and district general secretary Abdul Malik, also addressed the gathering.