Awami National Party (ANP) Chairman Asfandyar Wali Khan said on Saturday that his party would support anyone who went for negotiations with the Taliban to end violence and terrorism in Pakistan.
During a press conference at Wali Bagh in Charsadda, the ANP chairman said after coming to power in 2008, his party had initiated dialogue with the Taliban and Sufi Mohammad in Swat.
He said the ANP had never opposed resolving the issue of terrorism and other disputes through political means.
Asfandyar said that though Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has yet to host an All Parties Conference (APC), he has already declared his government’s anti-terrorism policies.
The ANP chairman said the prime minister should have taken political parties into confidence before making his policies.
However, he said that the ANP would support any political move of the present government for ensuring peace and ending violence and terrorism.
In response to a question regarding the post-2014 situation when the United States-led troops pulled out of Afghanistan, Khan said, “Pakistan, Afghanistan and the US are the main stakeholders of the issue and should settle the matter through mutual understanding and coordinated efforts,” adding that all three needed to build trust and confidence amongst themselves.
Regarding the Karachi situation, Asfandyar said only deweaponisation could ensure peace and stability in the city and that his party would favour the role of armed forces in the matter.
“However, the ANP is against a military operation in Karachi,” he said.
