ISLAMABAD – Awami National Party (ANP) President Asfandyar Wali Khan on Sunday said no worker of his party was involved in the ongoing targeted killings in Karachi and all allegations in over the issue were baseless.
Talking to journalists at the launching ceremony of membership drive of his party, Asfand said no worker of the ANP was involved in the series of target killings and if found guilty, he should be hanged. He said only one person belonging to the ANP had been arrested in connection of the killings so far.
“We are clear that anyone regardless of his political affiliation if involved in such activities should be dealt with an iron hand and awarded a severe punishment, like death sentence, which would stop the targeted killings automatically”, Asfandyar said.
When asked about the drone attacks, the ANP chief said all political parties and other stakeholders should hold consultations for making a decision on the issue, adding that the stakeholders were a part of the prime minister’s entourage to Afghanistan and they certainly would have discussed the prevailing situation in the region.
He said those, who had remained silent over the drone strikes for five years, were now creating a hullabaloo. Replying to another question pertaining to visit of Prime Minister Gilani’s visit Kabul, Asfandyar welcomed the talks between Pakistani and Afghan officials as a positive breakthrough, adding that all differences should be resolved through dialogue as it was vital to prosperity in the region.
Answering a question about the possible creation of Hazara province, Asfand said the ANP was not against the movement for a province and the people of the area had the right to demand the same. “We got the name of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after a long struggle of 64 years,” he said.
