SHAWAR, Feb 8: Chief of his own faction of Pakistan People’s Party Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao has demanded of the provincial government to end military operation in violence-hit Swat, resume talks with militants and enforce Nizam-i-Adl Regulation in Malakand region forthwith.

He was addressing a meeting at the 35th death anniversary of his brother Hayat Mohammad Khan Sherapo, killed in a bomb explosion in Peshawar University on Feb 8, 1975. The anniversary meeting was organised at the Nishtar Hall here on Sunday.

Aftab Sherpao lamented the ongoing bloodshed and destruction of Swat valley and termed it a great human tragedy. He asked the coalition government to end its ongoing inconclusive operation in the valley and sit with militants and find out a peaceful solution of the issue.

He asked the NWFP government to respect the wishes of people and immediately enforce the Nizam-i-Adl Regulation in Malakand division. He called upon the government to set up Prime Minister’s Revolving Package to compensate the affected people of Swat.

According to him, the provincial government, claiming to be the champion of Pakhtuns’ rights had badly failed to protect them. At present, he said, Pakhtuns were being killed in Swat, Bajaur, Mohmand and Waziristan. He said helicopters and fighter planes were raining bombs on tribesmen, but the champion of Pakhtuns were silent over it. “The PPP-S will not make any compromise on the rights of Pakhtuns,” he added.

Mr Sherpao said the incumbent rulers had promised with the nation that after coming into power they would repeal the 58 (2) (b) and strengthen the parliament, but, unfortunately rulers were doing contrary to their words. He vowed that his party would unwaveringly continue its lawful struggle for the supremacy of parliament and getting the president’s draconian powers repealed.

He said the government did not honour the parliament passed resolutions and it showed that ruler didn’t want to strengthen the elected forum of the nation. Commenting on president’s package for the tribal areas, he said tribesmen wanted peace and tranquility in their areas not monetary gains.

He lashed out at the coalition government for its disregards towards provincial rights and said it was the responsibility of the government to seek provincial rights from the centre.

He said that rulers had secured votes in the names of Pakhtuns, but they were silent on the torturing and killing of Pakhtuns in Karachi. He demanded of Islamabad to write off Frontier’s loans as it had given a waiver to Balochistan.

The meeting through a number of resolutions demanded of the government to end ongoing operation in Swat; find out a negotiated solution of the issue and pay compensation to the affected people; implement the 4-point resolution adopted by the parliament; provide food, shelter and security to the internally displaced people staying in refugee camps; steer the people out of the ongoing economic recession and provide them substantial relief on edible items.

PPP-S secretary general Senator Aneesa Zeb Tahirkheli, provincial president Sikandar Hayat Sherpao, provincial general secretary Bakht Baidar Khan, member central executive committee Ghani Mohammad Khan and party deputy general secretary Fazlur Rehman Nono also spoke on the occasion.