PESHAWAR, April 29: Amidst security threats, Awami National Party has turned to an internet communication software to help its candidates address public meetings in their respective constituencies without being physically there.

On Sunday night, the ANP, Nowshera chapter organised a public meeting in Taro Village, around 15 kilometres from the provincial capital, where former provincial information minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain delivered a speech on Skype.

“Keeping in view the continuous targeting of ANP leadership, we’ve decided to change our strategy. Now instead of being physically present there, our leaders will address public meetings on Skype,” said Ali Haider Khan, a former naib nazim and district councilor of ANP.

He said as that public meeting was a success, ANP had been planning to organise more such meetings to be addressed by its leaders and candidates on Skype.

Mr Ali Haider said the party had asked leaders in other districts, too, to use the internet communication software for addressing public meetings.

He said it was a pleasant surprise for the participants of the meeting to see Mian Iftikhar, a senior party leader, among them via Skype.

The ANP leader said the technology had been a great success as for election campaigns.

He said one important aspect which ANP had been keeping in mind in this respect was the availability of electric generators at both the venues, the place from where the leader addressed and where the meeting was held.

Another ANP leader, Abbas Khan, said the party had to chalk out new strategies for carrying out election campaign due to threats to candidates and leaders from militants.

He said from now onward, audio and video devices would also be used for airing speeches of ANP leaders.

Meanwhile, addressing the public meeting, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, a candidate for PK-12, Nowshera, said he wanted to remain present among his people but as militants had constantly been naming ANP to be its target, he had to remain away from its meetings because he did not want innocent people to be killed.

He said during its efforts for peace in the region, ANP had rendered valuable sacrifices and lost over 700 leaders and workers.

Mr Hussain said he had lost his only son in the fight against militancy but even then, he won’t give in to the militant threats.

“I don’t care for my life but am worried about other people and therefore, I am avoiding attending public meetings,” he said.

Mr Hussain said unfortunately, other parties had not been standing against militants and not condemning those, who had killed thousands of innocent people.

He said the only crime of ANP was that it liberated Malakand division from the clutches of militants and destroyed their safe havens there.

The ANP leader said during his party’s five years rule in the province, several development projects were launched and noted among them were establishment of universities, colleges and schools.

He said ANP gave the people of the province their identity through the 18th Constitutional Amendment.

The meeting was also addressed by Jehanzeb Khattak, brother of Daud Khattak, ANP candidate for NA-5 Nowshera, Usman Khan and Ali Haider.

The speakers said several colleges and schools had been established and roads constructed and repaired in PK-12 due to the efforts of Mian Iftikhar Hussain.

They said only in Akbarpura area, a degree college and a higher secondary school were established.

The leaders said ANP had not been provided with a level playing field but still, it would not leave the field open to rivals and would participate in the electoral process with courage and enthusiasm.