PESHAWAR - Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information & Culture and Parliamentary Leader of ANP, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, has said that environment for talks with Taliban was very conducive as all the political forces were unanimous on talks with Taliban for peace and the Taliban have also expressed their consent for it.
The federal government needs to convene the national level conference comprising all the stakeholders including the security agencies and the Taliban to form a powerful committee for it so as to initiate formal efforts for lasting peace in the region, he added.
This, he said, while addressing the oath taking ceremony of Timergara Press Club, Dir Lower at Peshawar on Thursday. Provincial Minister for Livestock, Haji Hidayatullah Khan also addressed on the occasion while Director Information, Shuaib ud Din and Assistant Director, Journalistic Affairs, Waheedullah were also present.
Referring to the welcome address presented by the Chairman of the Executive Council of the Press Club, Abdullah Madani, the Information Minister announced a grant of Rs. 50 million, construction of hall and practical steps for the proposed Media Colony in Dir Lower.
Talking about the political situation of the country, Mian Iftikhar maintained, it was for the first time in the history of the country that a democratic government was completing its five-year constitutional tenure in complete democratic environment.
He said, its credit also goes to the Opposition of the country, which played a constructive role in stabilizing the democracy instead of toppling the government.
He also praised the role of ANP, which fully supported the central government and discourage the politics of black-mailing, adding it did not make any unjust demand from the government.
Terming the 18th Constitutional Amendment a silent revolution, the minister said that it was the guarantee for the integrity and sovereignty of the country as in the past due to strong federation we seen the division of the country. He hoped that in future such unfortunate incident would not occur. He added, after 18th Constitutional Amendment, the resources of the provinces have been increased manifold and only the developmental budget of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa enhanced from 6 billion to 86 billion rupees which would gradually be increased each year.
Referring to the on-going terrorism, Mian Iftikhar said that coming of Pakistan, Afghanistan and USA on the same page was must for complete eradication of terrorism and joint efforts were needed for it as individual efforts could not succeeded and the failure of recent Qatar talks were before all.