ANP takes serious notice of Mirza’s allegations

0
127

Reaffirming his party’s stance on a thorough, across the board operation in Karachi, Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali Khan has requested the chief justice of Pakistan to play his due role in the matter. “Former Sindh home minister Zulfiqar Mirza in his press conference has made unprecedented disclosures. In particular, the chief justice must probe MQM (Muttahida Qaumi Movement) chief Altaf Hussain’s remarks regarding killing of Pakhtuns,” Khan told reporters at a press conference here in Peshawar on Monday.
Flanked by other ANP stalwarts and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, Khan said the reason behind violence erupting in Karachi after May 2008 should be investigated. He said further that with such a probe, the judiciary and executive could be in a better position to fix responsibility.
The ANP chief said Mirza’s disclosures could help the chief justice resolve the Karachi issue, and they must be put on the Supreme Court agenda. He said his party had no other objective than to restore peace and normalcy in Karachi and for that purpose stern action must be initiated against all those involved in targeted killing and other criminal acts.
In response to a question, Khan stated that the ANP would not tolerate any attempt to disrupt the democratic process. “I am hopeful that like the previous government, the present government will complete its tenure,” he said. “All institutions must remain within their limits,” he said.
Khan said extending the Political Parties Ordinance 2002 to the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA) was a positive decision on the part of President Asif Ali Zardari. He said it was another addition to President Zardari’s commitments to the ANP. “We, the ANP, have no intention to impose our own decisions on the people of the tribal areas. It is up to the people whether they want to remain in a separate province or join Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Tribesmen have the right to decide their fate,” said Khan. He also said the ANP still stood firm on its decision on the Saraiki province.