Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (KP) Information Minister Shaukat Ali Yousafzai, while urging the federal government to declare a national policy for combating ongoing trends of violence and terrorism, on Saturday said that it was not an issue of singular province or a political party but a national issue and should be tackled through consensus.
“Terrorism can be stopped when Pakistan disassociates itself from US-led War on Terror,” he said, adding that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was determined to extend support and cooperation to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif whenever he revisited foreign policies.
Speaking at Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) Mulaqaat at Peshawar Press Club, Shaukat Ali Yousafzai said that the PTI government was struggling for restoration of peace and an end to trends of terrorism.
The KP information minister conceded that the ongoing trend of violence and terrorism was in connection with a “unique war” where a number of external forces were stakeholders.
“It is not our war but a war imposed on us,” he said. “The only solution is in disassociation from it.”
He reminded people of the US drone attack on the day when newly elected parliamentarians were administering oath, which he said was a part of global conspiracies being hatched against the country.
Shaukat Yousafzai said that almost political forces, parliamentarians, people from other secretors and public opinion makers were demanding an end to violence and were desirous for return of peace. He made it clear that it was not the job of the KP government to frame a policy. He said that the federal government was bound to frame a policy and urged Nawaz Sharif to come forward for framing a strategy for getting rid of the “imposed war” which could lead to restoration of peace in the country in particular and rest of the region in general.
The PTI leader, while advocating for disassociation from the War on Terror, also suggested that Islamabad, “let the Afghans to decide their internal matters.” He said that Afghanistan was not the fifth province of Pakistan but was an independent country and its people had the right to make decisions according to their own needs and wishes.
Shaukat Ali Yousafzai also went in depth about priorities of the PTI government in KP, saying that restoration of peace was on top of their priorities. Similarly, he said that eradication of corruption and injustices was also essential for achieving goals of good governance.
