Chairman of Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao has welcomed the federal government's decision to unblock national identity cards of the Pakhtuns saying it is a goodwill gesture towards people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administered Tribal Area. "People of Pakhtun belt will heave a sigh of relief and enjoy the social and democratic freedom," he said in a statement, here on Friday.
QWP chairman said that the federal government has decided in-principle to issue national identity cards to those whose cards were blocked on suspicions that they are Afghan nationals. "We really appreciate the co-operation of the interior ministry who has recognised and accept the longstanding demand of our party as we have protested and requested at the legislatures to sort out the problem," he said.
Sherpao said that due to blockade of the CNICs by NADRA, socio-economic struggle of the people of KP and FATA was slowed down and they were immensely perturbed due to inappropriate profiling and victimisation of the Pakhtuns. He urged the federal government avoid further delay in the implementation of its announcement. He vowed that his party would not compromise on the rights of the Pakhtuns and would spare no effort to remove their sense of growing deprivation.
"Pakhtuns had made great sacrifices in the struggle for independence and for restoration of peace after wars but the establishment at the center has ignored their services," he lamented, urging the federal government to acknowledge the sacrifices of the Pakhtuns instead of subjecting them to humiliation and harassment.