Nawaz broke promises, cricketer did away with polite politics: Asfandyar

CHAMAN: Awami National Party (ANP) leader Asfandyar Wali has said that Nawaz Sharif has not realised promises and cricketer, a reference to Imran Khan, has done away with politeness in politics. He said that Bacha Khan had set the path for the ANP long time ago and the two Pakhtun leaders opposing merger of Fata with KP lacked logic.

He said that one had termed the merger an American agenda and the other raised the slogan of unity of Pakhtuns but was opposed to abolishing the line between the Pakhtuns. He said that they would not rest until unity of Pakhtuns after merger of Fata and then population of Pakhtuns will be more than Punjab. He expressed these views speaking to a public gathering to mark the seventh death anniversary of Haji Jilani Khan Achakzai.

He said that the colour of the ANP flag is red because of the sacrifices it had rendered adding that it was the worst of injustices that 600 people were killed while saying Juma prayers in a country which was made in the name of Islam.

He said that the government and all political parties were in agreement on the reforms committee formed for merger of Fata with the KP but only two Pakhtun politicians were opposing it without a reason.

He said when he was a partner in the PPP government under President Asif Zardari, he got Pakhtuns their identity through changing name of the province. He said he worked to give provinces their rights through NFC Award.

He said that the ally of the Nawaz government should tell what he had ensured for Pakhtuns in this government. He said that Nawaz promised setting up four industrial zones in Quetta, Kacklak, Qilla Saifullah and Zhob but he did not fulfill his promise. He said that Pakhtuns were ignored in CPEC projects, which could have generated employment for thousands of workers.

He said the ‘cricketer’ is not politician and he has triggered a new controversy by demanded before time elections. He congratulated Dr Akbar Kakar on joining the ANP. He said that no power of the world could detract them from the mission of Bacha Khan and they would not beg for their rights from anyone. He said that his warm welcome in Chaman showed that he was the real leader of the Pakhtun.

He said they gave sacrifices for the country but others deceived Pakhtuns in the name of Islam and communalism. He said those opposed to unity of Pakhtuns in the 1970s were now talking about Pakhtun unity. He said these people were now sitting in the lap of those whom they had called killers of their martyrs.

Only for the sake of governorships, and ministries, these people had made deals in Bhurban and Raiwind at the cost of rights of the Pakhtuns. He said they always rose to resolve border disputes and by closing down Chaman border regularly, they were robbing the people of the area and the province of their opportunities to scrape a living.

He said if they were disturbed any more, the people would forget about the 1971 incidents and no one would get anything from it. He said ANP is the only party representing Pakhtuns. He grilled the Pakhtun politicians for keeping mum for the sake of ministries on what he called injustices with the Pakhtuns.