Militants wearing suicide vests forced 'peace deal': ANP chief

Peshawar, Jan.3 (ANI): Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali Khan has said the peace accord between the Taliban and the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) Government was inked under pressure from the extremists.

"One militant wearing a suicide vest placed himself behind Afrasiab Khattak and one behind Mian Iftikhar (the party's senior leaders) during the signing ceremony," The Dawn quoted Khan, as saying.

Khan said the peace agreement collapsed due to the obstinate attitude of the Taliban leaders.

Commenting on the current political crisis in the country with different quarters raising demands for President Asif Ali Zardari's resignation, he said the ANP would stand by the President in such eventuality.

"The president can only be removed through impeachment or through a vote of no confidence, and we will stand by him in the event of him being removed using unconstitutional means," Khan said.

He also rejected the notion regarding threat to the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) government by the Army.

"I don't think Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani will derail the democracy," Khan told reporters during a press conference at the Chief Minister's House here. (ANI)