PESHAWAR: The youth of Awami National Party, boys wearing red caps and girls red shawls, gathered at Bacha Khan Markaz here on Sunday to participate in the first convention of National Youth Organisation (NYO) and show their love for Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan`s philosophy of non-violence.

`It is time for the Pakhtun youth to unite for their rights,` said Tariq Afghan, a youth activist.

Yasmin Zia, a former ANP MPA, said on the occasion that the convention was a proof that Pakhtun youth were non-violent and wanted to achieve their rights through peaceful means and political struggle.

ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan especially came to show his supportfor the youth which had been working for the last two years to register and unite Pakhtun youth across the four provinces under NYO.

Speaking to the youth at the jampacked ANP`s provincial secretariat, Mr Asfandyar said that the future of the young generation and entire region depended on peace in Afghanistan. He said that divisions could endanger the federation of Pakistan.

Elaborating the party`s policy on future of Fata, he said that there could be nothing better than merger of Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that ANP would be taking part in rallies and events on Nov 16 regarding future of Fata in Islamabad.

Mr Asfandyar spoke about the regional and national political issues, but did not connect with the youth present in a big number at the convention about the way forward and the role they could play in party`s plans for the next general elections.

`The NYO was announced soonafter ANP lost the general elections, yet the number of the youth has risen from 15 to 60,000 in just two years,` said Khushal Khan, central president of NYO.

`This is not a student political wing of the party. It is a platform for youth of ANP,` said Khushal Khanwho added that earlier the NYO had held a similar convention in Balochistan. He said that the youth expressed what they expected from the political party, as this forum reached out to those who wanted to do something for the party.

`These youth would hold cam-paigns, spread party manifesto and mobilise masses during the next general election,` said Khushal Khan about the role of NYO.

Palwasha Abbas, NYO`s KP vicepresident, said that the role of the youth was to spread the philosophy of peace of Bacha Khan. `We are different from the youth that just dance on such occasions in the name of `change`. We are followers of Bacha Khan and spread the message of peace,` she claimed and said that it was heartening that a big number of girls participated in the convention.

Waqar Khan, an office-bearer of NYO from Swat, said that NYO members were different from the youth which voted PTI to power.

The convention also called for equal share in the development under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. It also demanded that tribal areas should be merged into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa so that all Pakhtuns could get their economic and political rights.