ANP asks federal govt to launch work on CPEC western route

PESHAWAR: The Awami National Party (ANP) has urged the federal government to start forthwith the work on the western route of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects  in line with the promise made by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with the party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan after the All Parties Conference over the issue.

The provincial council of the meeting met here with provincial president Ameer Haider Khan Hoti in the chair. The meeting was also addressed by central chief of the party Asfandyar Wali Khan, general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain and others.

The meeting in a unanimously passed resolutions demanded Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to honour his pledge regarding the CPEC and overcome the reservations of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The resolution stated that the smaller provinces especially Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should not be deprived of their due share and right in the project.

The council also expressed concern over the long delay in holding of census and urged the government to immediately arrange census to ensure just distribution of resources and fulfill the constitutional requirements.

The participants of the meeting were of the opinion that lame excuses were being made to delay census. They said that if local government elections were arranged despite the law and order situation, census too should be conducted.

The ANP also opposed the forced deportation of the Afghan refugees. Another resolution adopted on the occasion stated that the international laws and Pakhtun traditions should be honoured and forced deportation of the Afghan refugees should be avoided. Similarly, the inhuman attitude and harassment of the Afghan people should be stopped.

The meeting also flayed the blocking of thousands of identity cards of the Pakhtuns in different parts of the country in the name of security. They urged the government to immediately stop indifferent attitude towards Pakhtuns.

The meeting also demanded immediate merger of Federally Administered Tribal Areas into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa so that the people living there could be brought into the mainstream to get their problems resolved and play an effective role in the society.

The provincial council of the party asked the federal government to avoid further delay in just distribution of national resources under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award. The federal government was asked to convene a meeting for implementation of the NFC Award.