ANP to convene jirga on problems of Pakhtuns.

Byline: Suhail Kakakhel

NOWSHERA -- Awami National Party central president Asfandyar Wali Khan has announced to call a jirga of Pakhtun leaders to find solution to the problems being confronted by the Pakhtun nation.

Addressing a rally in Azakhel here on Monday in connection with death anniversaries of Bacha Khan and Wali Khan, he asked ANP senior vice president Ameer Haider Khan Hoti and central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain to organise the jirga as soon as possible.

The ANP chief said that all out efforts would be made to shun differences among Pakhtun and bring them together to launch struggle for their rights. He said that future line of action would be decided in the jirga.

He also directed the provincial cabinet of the party to invite elders and all other stakeholders of tribal districts to Bacha Khan Markaz, the central office of ANP, to discuss their problems and find a way out to overcome them.

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The public gathering was also attended by ANP central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, provincial president Aimal Wali Khan, Sardar Hussain Babak, Aqil Shah, Haji Ghulam Mohammad Bilour, Mian Yahya Shah, Jamal Khan and others.

Asfandyar Wali Khan criticised the system enforced in the tribal districts, alleging that people of former tribal areas were subjected to brutalities and their rights were usurped through the new ambiguous system. He said that tribal people were yet to reap fruit of their struggle for merger of the areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The ANP chief threatened to block supply of electricity to Punjab if supply of wheat flour was stopped to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that provincial...