Zia remnants hampering peace process in Pakistan: ANP

Karachi, Dec.22 (ANI): The Awami National Party (ANP) of Pakistan has lamented the remnants of former military dictator General Ziaul Haq in the government for hampering the peace process being made by it in the country.

ANP Information Secretary Zahid Khan has said that his party is trying hard to maintain law and order in the nation, but efforts are being thwarted back by the remnants of General Zia's regime.

"We adopted measures that included dialogue and accords. However, at some places, these measures failed due to the efforts of remnants of the Zia regime," The Daily Times quoted Khan, as saying.Khan stated that ANP initiated the peace restoration process but its success depends upon a comprehensive course of action that actually targets terrorists rather than civilians.

"On one hand, peace efforts are being impeded and, on the other, civilians are being continuously targeted in areas such as Swat," he added.

Khan said that the problems being faced by Pakistan now are the seeds sown during the Zia regime.

"Former military general Hameed Gul is a leading figure among the remnants of Zia regime and the tenure of former president Pervez Musharraf was also a continuation of it," he added.

Khan agreed that his party joined hands with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) because it was elected democratically by the people of Pakistan and that is has regularly asked PML-N to desist from diverting towards Zia's ideology.(ANI)