PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (ANP) has announced to convene an ‘all-party conference’ on May 3 in Islamabad to discuss the prevailing political situation in the country.

According to a statement issued here on Tuesday, ANP central vice president Ameer Haider Khan Hoti said that decision to convene the all-party conference was taken on directives of party’s central president Asfandyar Wali Khan.

It said that a meeting of the party’s central council would be held on May 2 in Islamabad to set its priorities and make preparations for the APC.

The party has already constituted a committee with general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain as its head to finalise arrangements for the APC.

Other members of the committee include ANP central information secretary Zahid Khan, party’s Punjab president Manzoor Khan, Sindh general secretary Younas Buneri, Baluchistan general sectary Mabat Khan Kaka and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa culture secretary Khadim Hussain. All political parties and people belonging to different schools of thought will be invited to the APC.

Meanwhile, ANP provincial president Aimal Wali Khan has expressed reservations over a decision of the federal government to launch a fresh military operation against terrorists in the country.

Talking to journalists at Peshawar Press Club on Monday night, he said that the government should award stern punishment to the people, who helped terrorists to strengthen.

“Those, who facilitated militants, must be dealt with according to law of the land. Former prime minister Imran Khan, President Dr Arif Alvi and key ruling figures must be asked on what conditions they made a deal with militants and facilitated them to resettle in the country,” he said.

Aimal Wali also said that general elections should be held on the same day in the country.

He said that ANP had taken part in all elections even during serious law and order situations. He said that elections should also be held in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said that ANP would not sit silently in case of another operation. He said that government should implement National Action Plan to uproot the menace of terrorism.

He said that his party was in support of the government’s decision to hold general elections on October 8 in the country without any further delay. He said that chief justice had no mandate to fix election date only for Punjab.

Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2023