Awami National Party calls for re-opening Pak-Afghan border
A top Awami National Party leader on Friday called for reopening of the Pak “Afghan border, stating that war is not a solution to regional conflicts. Awami National Party Khyber Pakhtunkhwa unit president Mian Iftikhar Hussain also claimed that the closure of the Afghan border has caused losses of around PKR 2.5 billion to the province. “Relations with Afghanistan have been difficult for decades, yet the border was not closed in the past,” Hussain told media persons at the press club here, stressing that dialogue, not war, is the only viable path forward.
He appealed to the mediators to facilitate the reopening of the border. Border points between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been closed since October 11 when clashes broke out between the two neighbours, resulting in casualties on both sides. Addressing questions about security issues, he said all political parties in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are united on peace and counter-terrorism.
He criticised the lack of implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) after a recent terror tragedy, alleging that despite NAP, around 40,000 militants were resettled, and demanded constitutional accountability for those responsible. Responding to a question about Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder chairman and incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan, Hussain said, it is the government’s responsibility to ensure proper medical treatment for prisoners.
