ANP chief flays use of force on protesters

PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (ANP) central President Asfandyar Wali Khan has condemned the alleged firing on protesters in North Waziristan.

Through a statement issued here on Sunday, he demanded release of the arrested persons. He also demanded provision of medical treatment to the injured. The ANP president asked the government to avoid creating situation that could prove harmful for democracy and the country. Asfandyar Wali Khan said that the state could not tolerate the voices being raised for rights, adding that it was taking imprudent steps that could disintegrate the country. The ANP chief said that different approaches were being applied to the protest rallies in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“The protesters in Punjab receive cash prizes while the protesters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are being fired at,” he claimed.

He said that the firing on the protesters who had been demanding their rights in the month of Ramazan was a brutal act on the part of the state.

He urged the youth to remain peaceful as some forces wanted them to become violent. He also criticized the media for its negative role in the coverage of the incident.