Keeping up appearances: ‘There are no differences in the party’

Chooses to offer Begum Nasim to contest intra-party elections.

PESHAWAR/ CHARSADDA: There are no differences within the party and we stand united, said Acting Central President of Awami National Party (ANP) Senator Haji Adeel Khan, at a meeting in Wali Bagh, Charsadda on Thursday.

According to Adeel, Asfandyar Wali Khan was shaping the dreams of Bacha Khan and Wali Khan into reality by giving Pukhtuns their identity and provincial autonomy; which had been long-standing objective of their leaders.

The party meeting was chaired by Haji Adeel Khan, and had the entire senior ANP leadership present. In the meeting it was said that those who were trying to create rifts among the party would face defeat once again, like they had in the past. The members present agreed the ongoing membership campaign was trustworthy and it would be enhanced further so the youth would be motivated to join.

Asfandyar Wali Khan said after 2014, the region will be going through a complicated situation. He explained that Iran had signed a deal with six nations; the Afghan Grand Jirga was discussing major issues about the future of their nation; while the newly formed government in Pakistan should also devise a strategy for the restoration of peace as the entire nation was waiting for that promise to be fulfilled.

Asfandyar added the current provincial government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had failed to devise a clear-cut policy about Nato supply lines and militancy. “The Nato supply line passes through both Sindh and Punjab provinces, however, the political leaders from Punjab only protest against the supply in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and agitate people to violate the law,” he said. “People from Punjab and Sindh should come out and stop the Nato supply lines.”

While talking about local bodies’ elections, Asfandyar wanted to know why K-P was lagging behind the other provinces. He said the local government bill had already been passed by the former ANP government. Asfandyar lashed out at the PTI government, saying the ministers, cabinet members and special advisers were a burden on the provincial treasury, while they are still unable to deliver. Asfandyar demanded that the local bodies’ elections should also be held in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, saying if they were left out, it would be another big step in ignoring the people of the region.

Reaction to Begum Nasim

In response to Begum Nasim Wali Khan’s statements about the ANP leadership, the members present agreed that the appropriate step would be to offer membership to her and ask her to contest in party elections. Asfandyar said he would be contesting, and that everyone had the right to do so, adding that he was a strong believer in democracy. He added ANP workers would show the same respect to anyone who is elected.

A party source told The Express Tribune that Asfandyar Wali Khan and his family had largely chosen to remain silent on the Begum Nasim matter, and that the party leadership would issue any statement carefully.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 29^th, 2013.