Awami National Party (ANP) President Asfandyar Wali Khan MNA demanded of the federal government to merge the Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) into the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). Briefing the media after the meeting of the Central Working Committee (CWC) here on Thursday, he called for the restoration of the writ of the government in the tribal region to help improve the situation in the settled areas of the province.
"The FATA should be merged with the NWFP and also be given representation in the provincial legislature," demanded the nationalist leader, whose ANP is a coalition partner with the PPP, at both the federal and provincial level, in the country.
Asfandyar Wali was of the view that mere repealing of the 17th Constitutional Amendment was not the solution to the problems prevailing in the country, but the parliament should be made supreme for the resolution of all important matters.
Demanding a debate on the important matters of the prices of petroleum products and the granting of provincial autonomy in the parliament, he said that the federal government should keep only three ministries and all other departments be handed over to the provinces.
He said that the party had finalised the recommendations for the constitutional package, which would be submitted with the committee concerned before the 28th of the current month. The ANP leader also revealed that threats had been made against the NWFP Minister for Information, Mian Iftikhar Hussein, by militants. However, he vowed that they would not be frightened by such threats.
Earlier, addressing the meeting of the Party's Central Working committee Asfandyar Wali Khan said that the Pakhtoon people were passing through a critical time and only the ANP could steer them out of this situation.
He said that in case his party fails to rise up to the occasion, no other party would be able to do so. Asfandyar urged constructive criticism, within the party. However, he felt that personal differences should not be allowed to harm party interests. The ANP chief said that the CWC meeting would help remove the misgivings regarding the FATA and NWFP situation.
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