BAJAUR: Awami National Party (ANP) central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain has demanded of the government to take tangible steps to stop the ongoing wave of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said here on Wednesday that his party was against all kinds of terrorism and would continue to raise voice against the people involved in terrorist activities.

He was talking to journalists after visiting the houses of victims of the July 30 suicide blast. He said that ANP opposed terrorism and always raised voice against the people responsible for terrorist incidents in the country. He said that his party would continue to raise voice against terrorism.

The ANP leader said that anti-terrorism narrative was the top most point of his party manifesto. He said that terrorism had become a serious challenge for the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He added that terrorism was badly affecting social and economic development of the province.

Mian Iftikhar visits families of July 30 suicide blast victims in Bajaur

He stated that scores of leaders and workers of ANP were killed and wounded in terrorist incidents. However, he said that such attacks could not silence the voices of ANP leaders and workers to seek durable peace and stability in the country.

He called for tangible steps to stop the ongoing wave of terrorism in the province. He said that the fresh wave of terrorism had created unrest among the people of the province.

Regarding the July 30 suicide blast at the JUI-F meeting, Mr Hussain said that it was an inhuman act that left 64 innocent people killed and more than 100 wounded. He said that though the terrorists targeted the JUI-F workers, yet his party considered the blast an attack on entire humanity.

He said that all leaders of ANP were shocked by the July 30 terrible blast in Bajaur. He added that all senior leaders of his party condemned the blast strongly.

To a question regarding electoral alliance with other political parties, the ANP leader said that there was no chances of forging alliance with any political party for the upcoming elections as his party had already distributed tickets among its candidates.

He also rejected the notion that his party would be part of Pakistan Democratic Movement during the upcoming elections. “ANP will never be part of any such alliance during the elections,” he added.

However, he said that his party would welcome seat adjustment with like-minded parties for the elections.

Earlier, Mr Hussain along with ANP local leaders and workers visited the houses of several victims of the July 30 suicide blast and showed sympathies with their families. He assured the affected families that ANP would stand by them at that hard time.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2023