ANP to protest if 18th amendment reversed

PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (ANP) provincial president Aimal Wali Khan on Wednesday said that his party workers would stage protests at the historical sites across the province if the government tried to meddle with the 18th constitutional amendment.

Speaking at a press conference at Bilour House, he said that ANP workers would stage protests at Qissa Khwani, Takkar in Mardan and workers from southern districts would held the protest rally at Hatikhel. All these places are the symbol of resistance against the British Raj where scores of non-violent protesters were massacred by the British soldiers. The ANP leader said the final protest would be held at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi where “our leaders had laid down their lives.” ANP senior leader Ghulam Ahmad Bilour and newly appointed provincial spokesperson Samar Haroon Bilour were also present at the press conference.

Aimal Wali Khan said that deterioration in situation was due to the non-implementation of the 18th amendment in letter and spirit. “The non-implementation of the constitutional amendment has caused the wheat and flour crises,” he added. He said that provincial autonomy could put Pakistan on the track of development and prosperity. The ANP leader said that Prime Minister Imran Khan was a pawn and some other elements were handling the situation.

He claimed that Imran Khan would soon be exposed as the incumbent government was more lethal than the coronavirus. Commenting on the petrol shortage, he said that currently it was petrol that was unavailable but in the coming days people should brace for the shortage of vegetables. The ANP leader said that Pakistan and Afghanistan should respect each others’ sovereignty, adding that Islamabad should play its role in the peace process. He congratulated Samar Haroon Bilour on her appointment as provincial spokesperson of the party.