PESHAWAR: Awami National Party has condemned the killing of innocent mineworkers in Balochistan and urged the government to compensate their families.

In a statement issued here on Saturday, ANP provincial president Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that the martyrdom of 10 workers in the Harnai Shahrag bomb blast was very unfortunate.

“Targeting innocent workers is the worst barbarity and unforgivable crime. This is not the first time that poor workers and miners have been targeted by terrorists but such sad incidents have happened many times before too,” he lamented.

The ANP leader said six of the 10 martyred miners belonged to Shangla district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that this increasing trend of terrorism was a serious threat to the entire country, including the working class.

Seeks compensation for workers martyred in Balochistan

He urged the government and the institutions concerned to ensure protection to the workers. He said the labourers associated with the mining sector were already working in extremely dangerous and unsafe conditions.

“There is no policy at the government level to protect the rights of these miners. The criminal negligence and insensitivity of the governments has left the public helpless. The elements involved in the incident must be brought to justice,” he added.

The ANP, he said, stood with the families affected by the tragic accident.

He said financial assistance should be provided to the families of the martyrs and the injured persons should be provided with the best health facilities.

Mr Hussain also stressed the need that a comprehensive policy should be formulated for the protection and rights of mineworkers.

Meanwhile, ANP Lower Dir chapter arranged a function in Balambat to mark the 37th death anniversary of Bacha Khan and the 19th death anniversary of Khan Abdul Wali Khan on Saturday.

ANP workers from different areas, including district president Haji Bahadur Khan, general secretary Malik Mohammadzeb, Shah Faisal Advocate, Malik Sajjad Yousafzai and elders attended the event.

The ANP leaders paid tribute to the political and social services of Bacha Khan and Abdul Wali Khan.

They said Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (1890-1988), also known as Bacha Khan, was a true Pashtun leader and independence activist. They said he founded the Khudai Khidmatgar movement in 1929, advocating for non-violent resistance against British colonial rule in India.

This movement emphasised education, social reform and the promotion of Pashtun rights, they noted.

The speakers said Khan Abdul Wali Khan (1917-2006) was a distinguished politician and writer, who actively participated in the struggle against British colonialism and later became a significant figure in Pakistan’s political landscape.

They said Wali Khan was a founding member of ANP and served as its president from 1986 to 2006.

He was also the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly from 1988 to 1990. Throughout his political career, Wali Khan advocated for provincial autonomy, social justice, and the rights of the Pashtun people, the speakers said.

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2025