The Pukhtoons would have to pass on clear message to the world through balloting on January 8, 2008 in favour of the Awami National Party (ANP) that they were neither terrorists and extremists nor saboteurs but peace loving people.
Addressing various election meetings on Monday in his constituency NA-12 Swabi-I, President ANP Asfandyar Wali Khan said, the Pukhtoons wanted peace on their soil and earnestly wanted to see books not guns in the hands of their children, pen not bullets and school uniforms not suicide jackets. He said, if Pukhtoons did not unite in January 2008 elections, it would unfortunate for their future.
The coming elections are not for pavements of the streets or becoming MNAs or MPAs but it was a battle for the survival of Pukhtoons, he said, adding by exercising their right of franchise in favour of the ANP, they will pass on the clear message to the world community that they are peace loving and law abiding people and not terrorists or extremists as being wrongly projected at the global level.
Strongly criticising suicide attack at a mosque in Sherpao village that claimed about 60 innocent lives on Eid Day, the ANP leader while expressing remorse over the tragic incident asked under which Islam, the innocent people were being massacred. Religion Islam, he said, did no permit suicide attack as it were strictly forbidden in it, he said, adding, Islam preaches tolerance, brotherhood, peace and harmony. "I don't know which Islam the suicide bombers wanted to enforce in Pakistan", he asked. The ANP leader expressed the confidence that the people of Swabi would outclass the candidates, who are contesting the elections just on the basis of their wealth. He assured to fight for the provincial rights and said that every province should be given its right over the resources it was generating.
The election meetings were also addressed by Amir Rehman, Mukhtiar Khan, Jehnazeb Khan, Muhammad Rasheed, Haji Rahmanullah Khan, Haji Muhammad Shuaib, Haji Muhammad Yunas Baacha, and Shahryar Khan.