QWP lawmakers ask Punjab govt to release Pakhtuns

CHARSADDA: The lawmakers belonging to Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) on Thursday asked the Punjab government to release the arrested Pakhtuns and stop their alleged harassment or else they would launch a protest campaign.

Speaking at a press conference, Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Technical Education Arshad Khan Umarzai, members provincial assembly Bakht Baidar Khan, Sultan Muhammad Khan and Khalid Khan Mohmand lashed out at the Punjab government for the alleged 'racial profiling' of Pakhtuns there.

They said the Punjab government was treating Pakhtuns like terrorists after the Lahore suicide attack. They said that Pakhtuns have rendered matchless sacrifices in war against terrorism and were victims of terrorism.

They alleged that the Punjab government was discriminating Pakhtuns which was unacceptable and would harm the national unity.

The QWP members said the Punjab government was not willing to take action against the banned organisations in that province and instead launched a crackdown on the Pakhtuns living there. They said the QWP activists would storm the prisons in Punjab government to secure the release of the Pakhtuns if the Punjab government did not free the arrested persons.