Senator Aimal Wali Khan, the central president of the Awami National Party (ANP), has stated that the ANP is ideologically opposed to all forms of war. We expect all parties to adopt the path of peace, dialogue, and tolerance. Today, I am not declaring any jihad, nor am I urging anyone to take up arms or fight against the military. However, I do want to say that the relevant institutions in this country are responsible for waging war, and in times of war, our full sympathies lie with these institutions. We pray that they carry out their duties with excellence.
Speaking at the oath-taking ceremony of the district cabinet of Malgari Wakeelan in Shangla, Senator Aimal Wali Khan said that war breeds hatred, while non-violence promotes love, brotherhood, and peace. Even today, I firmly stand by the philosophy of non-violence championed by the great Bacha Khan Baba. He made it clear that our struggle is not about any state confrontation between Pakistan and India, but rather about securing our national rights, identity, and control over our resources.
“I am here in Shangla today. You tell me—why is this beautiful region lagging behind developed countries? The youth here either labor in foreign lands or sacrifice their lives in coal mines because the control over Shangla’s natural resources does not lie with the local people but with powerful elites.”
Expressing strong reservations over the Mines and Minerals Bill, Aimal Wali Khan said that a recent statement by a federal minister from Shangla on this issue was extremely regrettable and condemnable. “That minister sitting in Islamabad should understand that the Mines and Minerals Bill is essentially a bargain over the rights of the Pashtun nation. If anyone has traded the resources of the Pakhtuns for a billion rupees, they will no longer have the right to show their face in Pakhtunkhwa.”
He warned that this is not just the struggle of a single party or individual but a collective national battle of the Pashtun nation. “We will stand firm on every front to protect our resources, identity, and rights, and we are prepared to pay any price for it.”
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