TIMERGARA, April 5: The Awami National Party has been opposing drone attacks inside Pakistan's territory, as through such actions the attackers violate the state sovereignty, independence and stability, said provincial senior minister Bashir Ahmad Bilour on Tuesday while talking to newsmen here at the Timergara Rest House. About delay in appointment of judges of Darul Qaza, he said that the ANP government had done what it had promised with the people of Malakand. “Now it is the responsibility of the apex court to nominate judges of Darul Qaza,” he said.

Earlier, the minister also spoke at a function organised by the Awami National Party, Lower Dir, to observe the death anniversary of 57 party workers who were killed in a suicide blast on April 5 last year when they were celebrating renaming of the province.

The function, attended by party's tehsil and district office-bearers and stalwarts, paid tribute to the workers killed and injured in the last year's blast.

Pakhtuns have been facing terrorism for the last 35 years, Mr Bilour said and criticised religious parties for backing America in late 1970s and early 80s. He claimed that the provincial government had overcome 70 per cent of the militants while it was committed to rooting out the rest of 30 per cent. He said that peace in the region was linked to peace in Afghanistan.

About stability in the province, Mr Bilour said that the ANP wanted to take all the political and religious parties into confidence as no single party could bring peace.

Asked about attacks on Maulana Fazlur Rehman, he said that terrorists had been attacking political leadership. However, he added that the Maulana knew it better who were behind the attacks.

Later, the minister visited the district headquarters hospital, Timergara, to inquire after the injured of the Monday's blast at Munda.

Provincial minister Haji Hidayatullah, ANP provincial secretary information Arbab Tahir, Hussain Shah and other local party leaders also addressed the function.