| Submit your comments on this article |
| India-Pakistan |
| Pukhtoons are victims of terrorism: Chief Minister Hoti |
| 2008-10-22 |
| (APP): Chief Minister NWFP Ameer Haider Khan Hoti Monday declared in unequivocal terms that Pukhtoons were not terrorists rather they were victims of terrorism and reiterated his government stance of holding talks with those renouncing militancy and accepting writ of the government. "Negotiations is first priority of our government in tackling the issue of militancy", he said this while addressing concluding session of the workshop on Southern Fata arranged by Benazir Democracy Institute of Shaheed Bhutto Foundation here at a local hotel. Terrorists are killing innocent people and their victims can never be termed as terrorists, he said. The Fata problem has become matter of life and death for the NWFP Government and a wrong impression is being created abroad that the problems have been created by tribal people. Paying rich tributes to Bhutto family for the cause of democracy, ending of dictatorial regimes, supremacy of constitution, democracy and parliament, he said PPP is a major political party having potential to lead the country and the nation in the right direction. He said had the problem of Waziristan been tackled in time, it would not have spread to the whole of FATA and the settled parts of the province and it was pointed out by his party Chief Asfandyar Wali Khan. He said the matter had also been brought to the notice of the President and the Prime Minister that this problem would not remain restricted to Fata alone. The Chief Minister said peace and harmony in the tribal areas had a direct bearing on the settled districts of the NWFP. He said that tribesmen should be taken on board while making any changes in the political and administrative set up in FATA including amendments in the FCR. He called for respecting rights of the tribal people. He said the entire nation has to support the war on terror as it cannot be kept within Pukhtoon areas. He said the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan should sit together to address the problem. Hoti expressed the confidence that the proposed Pak-Afghan Jirga in Islamabad on October 27 would help settle the problem to some extent. He lamented that certain external forces have sabotaged our peace efforts which needs to be checked. He said the NWFP government wanted that tribal people should have representation in the Provincial Assembly, as it is incomplete without their presence. Addressing the workshop, Patron-in-Chief of BDI and spokesman of President Farhatullah Babar said militants were receiving money and arms to destabilise FATA. Later, talking to newsmen the Chief Minister said he discussed poverty, setting up of ROZs and development with Mr. Boucher US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia in the recent meeting. He said operation in Swat would continue till achieving the desired goal of establishing peace. |
| Posted by:Fred |