The Awami National Party (ANP) is considering pulling out of the ruling alliance both at the centre and in Sindh to protest against the government decision to revive the local bodies’ system, the party’s spokesperson Senator Zahid Khan said on Monday.
“Yes, this is one of our options…we don’t want (to do) it but will have to take the extreme step if our demands are not met or (if) somebody else is given preference over us,” the party’s spokesperson told journalists at the Parliament House.
But, Senator Zahid Khan said, the final decision on whether to remain an ally of Pakistan Peoples Party-led (PPP) coalition government or not would be taken by the party’s central executive committee (CEC) in a couple of days.
Zahid was talking to media after a meeting of the party’s parliamentarians in the National Assembly.
The ANP had rejected the Sindh government announcement to revive the local bodies’ system on Sunday evening, a move which was also criticised by nationalist parties in Sindh.
ANP Sindh’s leadership said that the decision would pit various ethnic communities against each other. The ANP stopped its only provincial minister from officiating in an early sign of the party considering coming out of the alliance with the PPP after almost three-and-a-half-years.
Zahid Khan said the party’s federal parliamentarians supported demand by its Sindh chapter for reviving the commissionarate system led by bureaucracy.
Khan added the ANP would consider PPP responsible for all the bloodshed in Karachi in the wake of its earlier decision of replacing the local government system with the commissionerate one.
He did not say when the CEC of the ANP was going to meet to take a final decision.
But some insiders said there wasn’t any possibility of such a meeting taking place any time soon because ANP chief Asfandyar Khan Wali was either out of Pakistan or planning to travel and might not be coming back.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 9th, 2011.
COMMENTS (31)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
ANP and other political parties talk against the local bodies system on the pretext that it has been introduced by a military ruler. Despite the lapse of more than three years the so called democratic parties failed miserably in presenting a reformed local bodies system.
This may be due to the fact that the so called champions of providing autonomy to provinces don't want progress and transfer of power on grass root level.
Karachi will move forward and not backward. It is a forward moving city with creativity and economic progress. It is an economic role model for Pakistan. Others are most welcome to follow the dynamic role model of Karachi. It welcomes all.. . . . so let us all have good will towards Karachi and stop this ethnic crap.
Hilarious ! Btw why should ANP Govt in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa stay at all if they want to part ways with PPP ? Personally ! i dont believe they can afford to put the Provincial Government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on stake by taking on PPP .
@Murtaza Butt: Pakhtuns are more than welcome to be in the city but they should know one thing.. It is not North Wazirstan and we are no mazarays. We are in an urban middle class city where people are not ruled by Arbabs! They have to learn to live in a city as equals. Karachi will not bow to these mafia lords and not to these feudals. It never has never will. What they like is a Karachite to keep taking crap and never say anything in return. This is not what will happen. You will only get respect if you give respect and I have not seen one person here having a good word for Karachi so... If ANP doesnt like a modern system of governance they should go to a place they can run the colonial system they believe in..... It wont work in Karachi.
I meant who is stopping Pakistanis from tooting their own horn!
Zia Khan, one who write the article, I am not sure what you meant. Is Asfanadar Sahib not coming back to Pakistan at all?????
I really don't know why do we have to have newspapers in English. It is not our language.
We are polling our votes to deceivers but we cannot pole our precious vote to honest persons.Because no honest person has yet been appeared on the surface nor one could receive the same vote. An aloof person did not like to confront or put himself in the filed of combat because of his domestic starvation and many other constrained circumstances. We have no right to stay with them but we should create revolt against such elements they are committing heinous crimes like socio-economic assassination? The country Pakistan was not left anyfurther need of the people but its a need of leaders to grabb money and deposit in foreign banks to build up his generation for studying in foreign top most educational institutions. But after backing their country they are always contesting general elections so that they can loot and plunder the country repeatedly to make them aloof much more than ever before. Abdul Khaliq Qureshi,Poet & Senior Journalist,Pakistan
Extremely sorry to say that our country is at the verge of collapse despite its an autonomic power of the world. We should remember our leadership who make this soverign state a nuclear power of the world. Moreover,it is necessary to express here that dishonest leadership could not be proved fruitful to the nation but when one person enjoying weath that revealed that we are prey of victimisation.
Pakistan was obtained by us after sacrificing precious human lives and properties open heartedly but today we are facing joblessness,price hike,misappropriation every where which is being created a great vacuum in our future life.Many people were shelterless,despite the then head of state received international huge financial assistance but it was not paid to most deserving peoples or the affectees. But its major part of money was eaten by corrupt elements who are being called bureaucrats and lower staff of the pak army as well.
Today, various families are witnesses for the misuse of money they were remained shelterless in various localities of affected areas of Hazara Division.Moreover, one person is being derived three thousand per head from security guards deputed in 32 thousand banks of Pakistan on support of our ruling class presently. But a poor is facing crushing scenario in this country. Who is responsible for this corruption?Who is the deceiver, cruel and snatching bread of butter of poor segment of the society. Out of 9 thousand monthly salary three thousand is being eaten by one person at the rate of three thousand per head remainig 6 thousand rupees he is obtaining and how he could be able to provide his innocent children the bread and butter three times in a day? Abdul Khaliq Qureshi Senior Journalist Abbottabad-Pakistan
Those saying Karachi is not for ANP, live in the 'paradise of fool'. How can you ignore five million of Pakhtuns?
The entire country is burning contineously due to extremism and terrorism God knows who is creating brutalities over the Muslims of sub continent san break, and daily death tolls at least more than two hundred.Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is being burnt to ashes for the last many years. But we could not chase the cruels to brought them on book. Taliban were accepting responsibility san written on the record but orally we are hearing so far.Our leaders should talk directly not only with Karazai but its leadership should be brought on book.Abdul Khaliq Qureshi,Senior Journalist
Just do it......
Very un-likely that ANP will quit at centre or Sindh. It is all about power and all that comes with it.
@Dr. Saleem Siddiqi: ANP has every right to ask for their demands. Till what time Karachi will ignore 4-5 million Pukhtuns and their political party.
@saleem: How are you so sure Jalao Gharao was done only by MQM? were you planning it from their side?
@Student: they dont want MQM to get back to CDGK.
Karachi is not the city of ANP , they have 2 seats and that what is illegally encroached, that what anp TOTALLY HAVE , THEY SHOULD GET LOST FROM KHI , they are not the choice of karachiites
@Zeya bacha: Only two chamchas are seen on the road, protesting to bring back Commissionarate system.
While we appreciate their democratic rights to protest but where are others, sitting and relaxing in air-conditioner rooms and earning Millions of Rupees in Karachi.
ANP must learn to respect decision of the majority and live peacefully otherwise they will soon have label for themselves "trouble maker".
Regards
Dr. Saleem Siddiqi
Johannesburg - South Africa.
ANP need blood to keep itself alive. Their leaders enjoys parties in Dubai and keep Pakistan in stoneage for their personal benefits. Shame on our leaders.
Now let's see how many dies as ANP is unhappy with LG restoration! Will it behave like MQM when they are unhappy over commissionaire system. Let's see if ANP will be doing "Jalao Geerao" like MQM.
ANP is not a political reality, especially in Karachi, it's a pressure group (with guns) to control another pressure group(s) which also posses guns
When the PPP switched the system it was to twist the MQM's arm and the ANP knew this all too well. The only people being made a fool of ( not being fooled ) is the public.
you opportunists you will never quit the coalition it is clear to every body do not give an eye wash to public to save your ugly faces .ugly politics ugly faces .
Oh kids, stop it...what do you want now? Except for peace in Karachi and national sovereignty, because of course none of you are interested in any such thing. So do you want more ministries or more blood of innocent civilians?
The losers are crying. That's the simplest comment for this news item. If it were not for Mustafa Kamal, local government system would not have survived in this country. Bravo to the person who won accolades of enemies and friends alike.
you ANP people including Zahid Khan you will never quit the the coalition as you people enjoying the fruits and benefits of ruling innocent people of Khyber pakhtoon khaw and as well as in federation your leader enjoying life in Dubai with the help of Bhuttos and zardaris .this all is first chance for you in history of Pakistan.still lot of charm and enough funds to enjoy life for the remaining term up to next election .wish you all the best .you opportunists.
These politicians have been destroying the system which benefit general public and establishing such system which help them grab more money into their pockets. Billions of rupees were spent on LG system and now they are trying to whitewash everything. All the parties are playing the gain game and do whatever is giving benefit to them and not the public. We the general public want to support democracy but not the way these poor politicians want. We will make them accountable in the coming elections. Every Pakistani is requested to vote to only honest and those leaders who takes pain for Pakistan and its people.
This musical chair between MQM-ANP-PPP is, to say the least, hilarious. If these parties were on facebook their relationship status will read as "Its complicated"
What is ANP problem ? If the majority is saying to do something thn why they have any problem !