ANP expels Azam Khan Hoti for demanding Asfandyar Wali's resignation

Senator Hoti had accused party leadership for the heavy defeat in general elections of May 11.

PESHAWAR: The Awami National Party has ejected Senator Azam Khan Hoti from the party on grounds of violating party discipline by demanding the resignation of Asfandar Wali and Afrasiab Khattak, reported Express News.

Senator Hoti, who blamed party leadership for ANP's heavy defeat in the general elections of May 11, had warned a couple of weeks ago that if former party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan did not quit soon, he would open up a 'Pandora's Box' against him.

“I will make revelations against party leaders and after that they will not be able to stay in the country.”

Hoti had said he had been looking at the party affairs for several years and has apprised the leadership of his apprehensions but his concerns were went unheeded. The former ANP federal minister wanted Afrasiab Khattak out of the party along with Asfandyar Wali.

Show-cause notice

Following his tirade, the party’s leadership issued a show-cause notice to Hoti and asked him to clarify his stance within seven days..

Hoti, however, refused to tone down his stance, instead stepped it up.

“I cannot tolerate this person to be part of the party anymore,” Hoti said of Khattak, who he claimed was not a Pukhtun leader or an individual, but a “mindset”. He went on to add ANP’s central, provincial and district leadership should have resigned from their positions following the defeat in the May 11 general elections.

Chairman of the organizing committee Bashir Khan Matta said Hoti's failure to justify his actions meant his membership now stood cancelled.

“As chairman of the committee, his press conference was a reply in response to the notice and it was a constant violation of the party’s code of conduct on the basis of which he is no more part of our party.”

Farhad Ali, spokesperson for Hoti responded saying, “We were expecting Hoti’s expulsion and will chalk out further line of action in couple of days.”

He added that the 'revelations' will be shared with the media soon.

Internal rifts

Political pundits termed the move as a result of growing internal rifts in the party and said that further groups’ formation cannot be overruled. They said that it is another blow to the party after massive defeat on May 11.

In a possible attempt to hide fissures within the party, Awami National Party MNA Ghulam Ahmad Bilour termed Senator Azam Khan Hoti’s severe criticism against the party leadership as more of a family matter rather than a party issue.

“This is more of a family matter rather than a party issue between the two leaders and would be resolved amicably soon,” Bilour said.

When Senator Hoti was asked about rumours of his joining Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, he had said that he vowed to remain with ANP until he died.

“I am neither a communist nor a socialist, but a nationalist and will never leave the party of Pukhtuns.”