Pak's Awami National Party calls for peace amid rising tensions with India

Peshawar, May 9 (PTI) Pakistan's Awami National Party is against all kinds of war, and expects all parties to adopt the "path of peace, dialogue and tolerance", its Central President Aimal Wali Khan said on Friday.

His comments came as tensions between India and Pakistan soared significantly following New Delhi's Operation Sindoor, launched early Wednesday in response to the Pahalgam attack on April 22 that had cross-border linkages. Islamabad subsequently made an unsuccessful attempt to target 15 Indian cities.

Khan made the comments while addressing a ceremony in the Shangla district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

"War gives rise to hatred, while non-violence is a message of love, brotherhood and peace. Even today, I firmly stand on the philosophy of non-violence of the great Bacha Khan Baba," he said.

The senator said his party is ideologically against all forms of war and urged all sides to pursue the "path of peace, dialogue, and tolerance".

Senator Khan said, "Today, I am neither declaring any jihad, nor am I urging anyone to take up arms or fight with the army." He said relevant institutions exist in the country to fight the war and added that "our sympathies are with these institutions" in a state of war.

Military action between the two countries intensified following ‘Operation Sindoor', which was launched in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed. PTI AYZ GRS GRS GRS