ANP condemns attack on party leader in Balochistan

PESHAWAR: The Awami National Party (ANP) has condemned the attack on the party leader in Qilla Abdullah district in Balochistan.

Through a statement issued here on Monday, ANP general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain condemned the attack on Daud Khan Achakzai and asked the government to provide security to the ANP leaders and candidates.

He said that lack of security arrangements would deprive the candidates of the opportunity to interact with voters.

Mian Iftikhar said that confining the ANP candidates to their homes due to security fears was regrettable.

The ANP leader said that a 2013-like situation was being created. He said the attack on former senator Daud Khan Achakzai was part of the plan to push the party to boycott the election. He asked the government to prove its impartiality and conduct fair investigation into the attack.

Mian Iftikhar questioned the timing of the sentencing of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, saying that it was meant to provoke him to announce boycott of the election.

He linked the Haroon Bilour’s martyrdom, Bannu and Mastung attacks and Bilawal Bhutto restriction of movement to forcing all political parties to boycott the election and pave the way for the leader of a specific party to become prime minister. The ANP leader said that his party would not leave the field open and block such moves.

He said these acts were a question mark on the performance of the caretaker government.