Aimal Wali Khan receiving death threats, says ANP's Samar Bilour

PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (ANP) leader Aimal Wali Khan has been receiving threatening calls, shared the party's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) chapter spokesperson 

 said on Sunday.

The spokesperson said that they have received reports that a plan has been formulated to kill the ANP leader. 

Samar said that their leadership's protection is the state's responsibility, adding that they will be left with no other option but to take the protection of their leaders into their own hands if the state does not act.

The ANP leader had voiced similar concerns in a statement a few days back, warning the state, government and "terrorists sympthisers" that Aimal Wali is the heir of the politics of Wali Bagh and not to complain if he is harmed. 

Earlier this week, ANP Parliamentary Leader in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly Sardar Hussain Babak had voiced concern that he had received death threats as well.

Addressing the KP assembly on December 6, the ANP lawmaker said that numerous house members apart from him have received threatening calls and the house of his party MPA from Shangla, Faisal Zaib, was fired upon twice. He questioned the government's silence over the subject and called upon the state and the government to fulfil their responsibilities.

“Investors and rich people were forced to migrate to other provinces”, he said adding not only ANP but also members from PTI were receiving threats. He said that during the last ANP government terrorists were carrying out attacks but they stood with the public, unlike the incubment PTI.

The ANP legislator said an unelected spokesman of the provincial government was holding talks with the banned TTP and people in Swat and Buner were on roads for peace but the provincial chief executive was silent. 

“Has the provincial government no suitable person among its 95 elected MPAs that an unelected man has been made spokesman for the government?” he asked a question.

ANP has lost multiple members due to terrorist attacks and this is not the first time that the party has received such threats.  

Back in December 2021, ANP leader Umar Khattab Sherani, who was a candidate for the tehsil's mayorship, was shot dead outside his residence — a day before local body polls in the province.