Awami National Party (ANP) leader and former chief minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti has emphasized that the restoration of peace in the region has come at a significant cost to the people.
“The situation in both Pakistan and Afghanistan is worsening with each passing day. We urge the state to abandon the path of war and resolve issues through diplomacy,” he stated during an ANP meeting.
The meeting was convened to commemorate the joint death anniversary of Bacha Khan, the founder of the Khudai Khidmatgar movement, and Khan Abdul Wali Khan. Mr. Hoti expressed concern over the continued bloodshed of Pashtuns in Pakistan and Afghanistan, warning that those involved in terrorism are seeking to return and resettle in the region.
“There are reports of an investigation being conducted against General Faiz Hameed for alleged misuse of power,” he said, adding that before the Top City case is pursued, the former general should be held accountable for the atrocities committed against Pashtuns. He accused Gen Faiz of adopting policies that led to the massacre of Pashtuns.
Mr. Hoti asserted that Pashtuns are not terrorists, but terrorism has been forced upon them. “Former military rulers, in collaboration with the United States, turned Pashtun lands into battlefields, resulting in the deaths of thousands of innocent Pashtuns,” he claimed.
He expressed concern about the deteriorating situation in areas such as Mohmand, Bajaur, Waziristan, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat, and Tank, blaming repeated failed experiments for the unrest. He also questioned the origins of the Kalashnikov and heroin culture, asking who had brought foreign elements to Afghanistan and perpetuated such destructive trends.
Speaking about Kurram, he criticized the federal and provincial governments for their lack of attention to the worsening situation, which, he said, could have been avoided with timely action.
The gathering was attended by several ANP leaders, including Hussain Shah Yousafzai, Khadija Shah Chitrali, former MPA Nisar Mohmand, Maulana Khanzeb, Syed Masoom Shah Bacha, Iftikhar Mohmand, Meraj Khan, and a large number of party workers.
