‘Baseless’: ANP asks Begum Nasim to quit criticism

ANP’s interim provincial president advises that people avoid baseless criticism of the party.

PESHAWAR: Begum Nasim should have presented the programme of her party rather than criticise Awami National Party leader Asfandyar Wali Khan on the eve of launching her own party. According to a statement issued from Bacha Khan Markaz, ANP’s interim provincial president Bashir Ahmad Khan Matta claimed that ANP was the only well-reputed political party for Pukthuns and that its manifesto has been open for the public’s scrutiny for long. He added the party has been operating only on doctrines laid down by Bacha Khan and Wali Khan. Matta said party leaders were answerable to ANP workers and that “it is advised that people avoid baseless criticism of the party.” Matta’s statement noted that Asfandyar was the only survivor of the late founders of ANP and Begum Nasim had been working under his leadership even when he was president of the party when Wali Khan was alive.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 21^st, 2014.