ISLAMABAD: The Awami National Party President Asfandyar Wali Khan says his party ignored tremendous US pressure not to enter into peace agreement with militants in Swat.
Asked you were known for anti-Americanism and how you became pro-US‚ Asfandyar Wali said before Swat peace agreement‚ US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher and then Ambassador Anne Patterson pressed him not to go for peace deal at a 50-minute meeting at Frontier House in Islamabad. Asfandyar said he never had such a bitter meeting with any one as was the meeting with Richard Boucher. He said he categorically told the American side that we know our traditions and customs very well and we have to go for the peace deal.
The ANP leader said they went ahead with peace agreement with militants in Swat but it was violated by the other side and writ of the Government was challenged. In this backdrop‚ there was no other choice than to go for operation.
Asfandyar said the operation against extremists and terrorists in Swat and Malakand succeeded as it had political ownership.
The ANP chief‚ however‚ made it clear that the army was called in Swat not by ANP but the then MMA Government in the province.
Asked why ANP has deviated from traditional anti-establishment and anti-Punjab politics‚ Asfandyar Wali Khan said they never opposed the state but were critical of the policies of the establishment. Now‚ after thirty years down the history‚ the establishment has reached the same conclusion that we were espousing thirty years back on the issue of terrorism and extremism. Similarly‚ he said‚ they were not against people of Punjab or the province itself but against the policies. He said now that the Punjab is fighting for rights of the provinces along with other provinces‚ there was no cause for difference or criticism.
