PESHAWAR: The workers of Awami National Party held a demonstration outside Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday to protest registering of FIR against some of the organisers of Pakistan Democratic Movement rally held here on November 22.

They said that government wanted to pressurise opposition parties through such tactics. They said that government should withdraw the FIR or face wrath of ANP workers.

ANP president Aimal Wali Khan, Sardar Hussain Babak, Dr Khadim Hussain, Danyal Bilour, Shazia Aurangzeb, Rahmat Ali Khan and Shahi Khan Sherani addressed the demonstration.

It is to be mentioned here that an FIR has been registered at Paharipura police station against district presidents of five constituent parties of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) under Section 188 of Pakistan Penal Code, 15 Arms Act and Section 17 of KP Epidemic Control and Emergency Relief Act, 2020 for ‘endangering public lives’ by holding a large gathering in the provincial capital despite an official ban.

Aimal Wali says such tactics can’t frighten ANP workers

The ANP leaders condemned registration of FIR and described it an attempt to pressurise the opposition parties. They said that government should withdraw the case immediately or face wrath of the ANP workers.

“We are here and government should dare to arrest our people,” they said.

Aimal Wali said that FIRs could not deter his party workers from the right path as they were following in the footsteps of Bacha Khan and Abdul Wali Khan.

He said that Bacha Khan, Wali Khan and their companions served Pakhtuns and raised voice for their rights but never compromised on principles.

He said that ANP would organise a big public meeting in Peshawar in January as part of its centenary celebrations to prove that no one could dare to threaten the nationalists through FIRs and sending them behind bars.

The ANP provincial chief urged government to open all trade routes between Pakistan and Afghanistan to provide an opportunity to Pakhtuns to earn their livelihood with honour.

He asked the government to activate all relevant departments at Torkham instead of assigning the duty to National Logistic Cell. He said restoration of peace was essential both for Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Aimal Wali said that terrorists were regrouping in different parts of the country. He demanded across the board action against the anti-state elements.

Meanwhile, ANP central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain in a statement also condemned registration of FIR against PDM workers and said that the nation would get rid of the ‘selected’ rulers very soon.

He said that opposition parties were ready to face all kinds of actions including imprisonment but they would not accept the ‘elected’ government.

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2020