Pashtun Nation’s Political, Administrative, and Geographical Division Unacceptable; Local People’s Right to Resources Must Be Recognized: Nasrullah Zere

Quetta (Qudrat Daily): A regional conference of the Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party (PkNAP), Quetta District, was held in Nokhassar under the chairmanship of the party’s provincial president, Nasrullah Khan Zere. The conference was attended by the party’s central, provincial, and district leaders, members of the regional executive, and delegates.

At the outset of the conference, Nokhassar Regional Secretary Abdul Wadood Khan presented a detailed report on the organizational and political performance of the previous term. The conference delegates reviewed the report in detail and, after discussion and debate, formally approved it. Subsequently, in view of organizational requirements and the convenience of workers, the Nokhassar Regional Unit was divided into two regional units, Nokhassar First and Nokhassar Second, and new regional executive committees were elected for both units.

For Nokhassar First Regional Unit, Amil Khan Bazi was elected Secretary, Abdul Qadeem Khan Afghan as Senior Assistant Secretary, while Abdul Wadood Bazi, Latif Khan, Malik Alkozai, Shireen Agha, Mubeen Agha, Haroon Khan Bazi, Khair Muhammad Afghan, Khairullah Panizai, Akmal Sahib, Ali Muhammad Muhammad Hasani, and Ateeq Agha were elected as assistants.

For Nokhassar Second Regional Unit, Awal Wali Afghan was elected Secretary, Sattar Mubariz as Senior Assistant, while Deen Muhammad, Gul Muhammad, Inayat Afghan, Muhammad Malakhail, Jameel Malakhail, Jahangir Khan, Dr. Hayatullah, Rozi Khan, Hamdullah, Nematullah, and Abdul Wadood were elected as assistants.

The newly elected members of both regional executive committees were separately administered the oath of office by Provincial President Nasrullah Khan Zere and Provincial Secretary Khushal Kasi.

Addressing the open session of the conference, party Senior Secretary Syed Qadir Agha Advocate, Central Secretary Information Muhammad Isa Roshan, Central Secretary Finance Muhammad Yousuf Khan Kakar, Sindh Provincial President Syed Muhammad Siddique Agha, Central Secretary Chairman Allah Noor Khan, Professor Asad Khan Tareen, and other leaders spoke. Stage duties were performed by Quetta District Senior Assistant Secretary Nada Muhammad Sangar and Akbar Kiliwal. The recitation of the Holy Quran was performed by Maulvi Muhammad Iqbal, after which the party anthem was presented, during which all participants stood in respect.

On this occasion, Munir Khan Bazi, Akmal Khan, former Councilor Yousuf Khan Bazi, Malik Fareed Khan Bazi, Parvez Khan Kharoti, and dozens of other individuals from various areas announced their joining of the Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party along with their families.

The speakers congratulated the successful holding of the Nokhassar Regional Conference and the newly elected regional executive, saying that organizational conferences of this kind will play an important role in making the party organization stronger, more active, and more capable.

The speakers said that the Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party stands firm on its national, democratic, and progressive ideology, constitution, manifesto, and principled political struggle. They stated that by organizing and activating the party organization down to the grassroots level, party units will be further strengthened in South Pashtunkhwa, other areas of Pashtunkhwa homeland, Sindh, and Punjab. The series of regional conferences in Quetta is ongoing, after which the Quetta district conference will also be held.

The speakers said that the Pashtun nation and Pashtunkhwa homeland are currently suffering from political, administrative, and geographical division.

Pashtunkhwa homeland is divided into various administrative parts, while the Pashto language has not been given the status it deserves at the official, educational, and governmental levels in its historical and national region. They said that the right of the local people over the natural resources, minerals, precious and rare deposits of Pashtunkhwa homeland must be recognized, and local nations must be given authority in decisions regarding resources.

They said that for the past several decades, terrorism, extremism, and instability have made life miserable for the people in Pashtunkhwa homeland. In recent times, terrorist incidents in Ziarat, Harnai Orak, Mangla Ghberg, Harnai, Shahrag, Loralai, Qila Abdullah, Saranan, and other areas have once again raised serious questions about the law and order situation. The speakers demanded that these incidents be transparently and impartially investigated, those responsible be punished according to law, and the lives and property of the people be ensured protection.

The speakers said that over the past several decades, under state policies, interference in Afghanistan’s affairs and patronage of armed groups have affected the entire region with instability. They said that the people of Afghanistan should be given the right to decide their own political future, and respect for human rights in Afghanistan, guarantee of basic civil rights including women’s education, and an inclusive political process should be ensured. They supported the establishment of a political system based on broad-based political consultation, constitutional process through the Loya Jirga, and public representation in Afghanistan.

The speakers, while terming the role of Parliament and elected political institutions as fundamental in the country’s internal and external policies, said that without the supremacy of the Constitution, autonomy of Parliament, strength of democratic institutions, and provincial autonomy, the problems faced by the country cannot be resolved. They also expressed reservations over recent constitutional and legal measures, saying that the powers of state institutions should remain within the ambit of the Constitution, and a true democratic and parliamentary system should be strengthened in the country.

Referring to legislation regarding mineral resources in the province, the speakers said that the first right over the natural resources of Balochistan belongs to the people and the provincial entity. In any law or policy regarding minerals and other natural resources, provincial autonomy, rights of the local population, transparency, and public interest should be given fundamental importance.

The speakers expressed their commitment that the Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party, under its national, democratic, progressive, and constitutional political program, will continue its political struggle for organizing the people, advancing the democratic struggle, national unity, provincial autonomy, authority over resources, peace, education, employment, and basic human rights.