Death anniversary of Abdul Wali Khan marked

PESHAWAR: The 11th death anniversary of Awami National Party (ANP) leader Abdul Wali Khan was observed on Tuesday in a simple manner. The party has announced 10-day mourning on the deadly attack on Bacha Khan University due to which the anniversary functions were suspended.

A Khatmul Quran was arranged at the Bacha Khan Markaz here, which was attended by ANP’s central and provincial leaders and workers. The function was addressed by senior vice president of the party Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain, provincial president Ameer Haider Hoti and general secretary Sardar Hussain Babak.

Ghulam Bilour said that the attack on Bacha Khan University was actually an attack on the movement of ANP and they won’t tolerate further killing of the Pakhtuns. He said that the ANP rendered the sacrifice of its 1000 leaders and workers in the war against terror during its five-year rule in the province. He said that the government should talk sense and stop further bloodshed of the Pakhtuns.

Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that the governemnt should review its internal and external policies and implement all the points of National Action Plan. He said that the Pakhtuns have been tired of picking up the coffins of their dear ones and they they want end to the deadly game. He said that the operation in Waziristan won’t end the terrorism and the drive should be extended to Punjab and action should be taken against all the groups of terrorists without any descrimination.

He said that the the federal government did not take the attack on Bacha Khan University seriously. It should be considered as serious an incident as that of the Army Public School.

Haider Hoti said that no major terror incident could happen in the first two-and-a-half year rule of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in the province. But when the ANP emerged victorious in the Local Governmetn Election, the terrorist incidents were resumed.

Meanwhile, Central President of ANP Asfandyar Wali Khan in his message on the death anniversary of Abdul Wali Khan said that Bacha Khan and Wali Khan had dedicated their lives for peace, democracy and social justice. He said that the had no contradictions in their words and actions due to which millions of people followed them.

He said: “Today we should reaffirm our pledge to serve humanity and continue our struggle against injustice and for promotion of peace.”

He said that the Pakhtuns would have to follow the principles of Bacha Khan and Wali Khan for getting rid of the menace of terrorism. He said that the ANP’s founders had emphasized to stay away from the war of others, but unfortunately no one could listen to them and the country was now facing the menace of terrorism.

Awami National Party-Wali (ANP-W) arranged a seperate function at the Archives Hall to mark the death anniversary of Bacha Khan and Wali Khan. The function was addressed by the party chairperson Begum Nasim Wali Khan, who paid glowing tributes to the party’s founders.