ANP finally wakes up

By: Behroz Khan

The Awami National Party is waking up from the long slumber to adopt a policy on the fate and future of more than 3.5 million tribal people sandwiched between the extremist groups and the security forces amid hopes to explore ways and  means for lasting peace in the region. , The 'Pakhtun Peace Jirga' or­ganised by ANP at Bacha Khan Markaz in Peshawar today (Mon­day) is expected to draw leaders from different political and reli­gious background to sit together and find a negotiated solution to the trouble going on in the tribal belt and its spillover. The party had been under severe criticism from various forces on its half-hearted response to the happenings taking place in the area till recently while the religious groups continued to take the lead to oppose the military operations by Pakistan Army and the missile attacks by the Afghanistan-based coalition forces on the civilian population m retali­ation to the ambushes and use of improvised   explosive   devices (IEDs) on both sides of the Pak-Afghan border.

But the worsening situation in South and North Waziristan and now spreading the flame of fire to Bajaur Agency and the growing ex­pectation of the people of Afghanistan and the Pakhtuns liv­ing in Pakistan, the ANP is under an obligation to intervene and play the role to disengage the warring sides and rescue fellow Pakhtuns, ANlf President Asfandyar Wali Khan said during a discussion few days back. Not only adopting a pol­icy, the ANP president even offered an Olive branch to all the religious forces to make joint efforts to res­cue the tribal Pakhtuns.

"There is a realisation that peace cannot be achieved in the tribal and rest of the Pakhtun land if Hujra and Mosque did not go side by side," the ANP president had told a press conference in Pe­shawar recently. This, many think, is a big step forward and major policy shift since the two sides were after each other's throats due to differences on the country's Afghan policy and involvement of Jamaat-i-Islami in the self-declared Jihad. It is yet to be seen whether or not the religious parties would put their weight behind Asfandyar Wali in his endeavours, but the par­ticipation of Maulana Fazlur Rehman in the Jirga is perceived a positive development. Jarnaat's chief, Qazi Hussain Ahmad will not be in the country, but his party will also be represented in the Jirga, ANP sources said.

This will also be for the first time that all the Pakhtun leaders would assemble in Peshawar to voice for peace.

Unlike Jamaat-i-Islami, an archrival of ANP, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam of Maulana Fazlur Rehman has remained in close liaison and formed political alliances and even a coalition government with the party in 1970s. The policy line of JUI-F on the issue, analysts say, would contribute much to the suc­cess or otherwise of the efforts launched by Asfandyar Wali and would also determine the role of Maulana Fazlur Rehman for the fu­ture of Pakhtuns. The Maulana's party is strong in North Waziristan and it has presence and influence in the rest of the tribal belt too. Jarnaat's influence is stronger in Ba­jaur Agency, while the ANP is mak­ing inroads in Bajaur and Khyber agencies. The party had an impres­sive show of strength in Bajaur last week where the security forces clashed with the party activists leading the situation to tear gassing and baton charge.

The Jirga will also be attended by another Pakhtun nationalist from Balochistan, Mehmud Khan Achakzai, Tehrik-i-Insaf chief, Imran Khan, who also is a Pakhtun by origin and vocal about his views about the tribal belt and the policy of the military leadership towards the area. However, the whole hearted participation of the tribal elders and influential figures hold the key to the success of the Jirga, as the tradition Pakhtun assembly goes to session to give its verdict on the present situation and future of the tribal people. As part of the long-term policy, the ANP is in favour of uniting Pakhtuns living in NWFP, Balochistan and the tribal areas under a single unit and giv­ing the tribal people representation in the provincial assembly at the earliest.