The province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Federally Administrative Tribal Areas (FATA) are badly affected by violence, terrorism and uncertainty, therefore, the federal government needs to keep in mind interests, wishes and expectations of its people in the proposed All Parties Conference (APC).
It was resolved in a pre-APC dialogue held under the auspices of Aman Tehreek at Peshawar on Tuesday
The participants said that maximum efforts should be made for return of peace to the province and an end to violence, terrorism and aggression in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA.
The speakers representing different political forces and civil society organisations discussed in depth the concerns of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA regarding security situation.
Beside others, Awami National Party’s Mian Iftikhar Hussain and Arbab Tahir, National Party’s Syed Mukhtar Bacha, Engineer Ghani Gul Mehsud, Jamaat Islami’s Israr Ullah Advocate and Dr Iqbal Khalil, Jamiat Ul Ulema Islam (F) Abdul Jalil Jan, Haidar Mohmand of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Aman Tehrik’s Zar Ali Khan, Arshad Haroon, Dr Said Alam Mehsud, SAFMA’s Shamim Shahid and Engineer Tor Gul Chamkani of Shaheed Bhutto Foundation expressed their views in the dialogue. However, no one either from the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf or its coalition partner Quami Watan Party attended the dialogue.
Syed Mukhatar Bacha of the National Party said that leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) must have regretted as their central high command had already announced to convene the APC.
The participants discussed in depth the existing law and order situation, particularly the ongoing terrorism and militancy, which badly affected the region and its people. In this connection, they discussed in depth the role of different stakeholders like the United States, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Pakistan’s military and intelligence agencies. The participants unanimously supported the idea of dialogue and negotiations with militants for an end to terrorism. However, there were divisions amongst the participants about the use of military action after failure of negotiations. Similarly, they also unanimously suggested Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to take military leadership into confidence regarding framing a strategy for tackling the issue of terrorism.
Regarding US and Afghanistan, major stakeholders in the ongoing war on terror, the participants said the government needed to first ensure protection to sovereignty and solidarity of the country with not only bringing an end to drone attacks but also flushing away all foreign militants from the area. In this respect, the participants observed that unless confidence building amongst US, Pakistan and Afghanistan were carried out, no one could resolve the issue.
Through the declaration, the participants of pre-APC dialogue first ever of its kind after May 11, 2013 general elections, resolved that responsibilities rested with the state for ensuring safety to lives and properties of the citizens. In this respect, the government must go ahead according to the constitution for restoration writ of law in case of failure of dialogues with the militants. For building confidence, the participants suggested militants to stop violence and the government was suggested to declare a ceasefire. It was also suggested to keep in mind resolutions of previous parliaments and APC’s held under the auspices of PPP, JUI (F) and ANP in previous five years.
It was also demanded to go for detailed data collection and assessment of human and property losses as a result of terror acts in the province and FATA. Efforts should be accelerated for resolving the issues of FATA and its people as per the wishes of tribesmen, the speakers suggested.
