Addressing a presser after chairing the ANP's Consultative Committee meeting here, the ANP Chief reiterated the party's stated position that extremism and terrorist violence were a threat to the very existence of the country and appealed to all political forces to take a clear stand on this issue.
He said ANP was fighting war against terrorism for existence of the country and all political parties should also take a clear stance on terrorism.
"If the experience of the recent past is anything to go by, the Death Eaters will not forgive any political or religious parties, even those, who have literally acted as their supporters or apologists and it will be an exercise in futility to appease the terrorists," he remarked.
"We support negotiations with all those elements that recognize the writ of the state and renounce violence," he said, adding those who are not preparing to do it should face effective and meaningful actions.
He said political ownership was must for a successful operation as we have seen in Swat
...a valley and an administrative district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistain, located 99 mi from Islamabad. It is inhabited mostly by Pashto speakers. The place has gone steadily downhill since the days when Babe Ruth was the Sultan of Swat...and Dir. He said we are fighting against an krazed killer mindset bent on destabilising Pakistain.
Asfandyar said people of all segments of the society should express zero tolerance towards all violations of the country's illusory sovereignty and integrity. He said ANP opposed drone strikes and raised strong voices against it at every forum. However,
there is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened...
he said ANP also opposed terrorists' individual attacks on our soil and their networks whether it is within the country or outside.
He regretted that drone attacks were being condemned in socio-political circles openly but individuals Death Eaters strikes on ground were not being deplored as openly. Khan said that instead of defending ourselves on our doorsteps or in the streets, we should go after the terrorists' sanctuaries and evolve a national consensus on a comprehensive strategy for defeating terrorist outfits.
He said Pakhtuns in FATA and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central...
were adversely affected by the menace of terrorism and the time has come to stand united and evolve a national consensus to get rid of this menace once and for all.