Dividing designations: Jirga resolves differences among ANP district party workers

Malik Noshad panel alleged party constitution was violated in awarding membership copies to Malik Nasim panel.

PESHAWAR:

Recent differences between Malik Nasim and Malik Noshad panels of the Awami National Party’s (ANP) Peshawar chapter were resolved after a day-long jirga resulted in the two groups reaching a consensus regarding the intra-party elections.

The two sides agreed to distributing party posts, with Malik Nasim panel getting the posts of district president, senior first vice president and deputy joint secretary. The latter two would be awarded to Kamran Sadiq and Rahim Barakzai respectively whereas Nasim himself will become the district president of the party.

Meanwhile, from the Malik Noshad panel, Gulzar Khan will become the general secretary, Raja Gul the second vice president, Aziz Ghaffar the joint secretary, Zahid Hussain the press secretary and Ali Haider the finance secretary. Moreover, Shabana Saifullah will become the joint secretary.

The party’s position in the district was affected after differences emerged between the two groups recently.

An ANP stalwart from Peshawar and supporter of the Malik Noshad panel told The Express Tribune the provincial organising committee violated party discipline. “According to the party’s constitution, membership registration should wind up at least 20 days before [the intra-party polls],” he said.

The ANP leader alleged the organising committee issued 400 membership copies to the Malik Nasim panel one day before the district elections.

Unhappy with the polling process, the Malik Noshad panel, along with many other activists in various union councils in the district, announced a boycott of the elections on Tuesday and called an emergency meeting of the union council organisers. However, Tuesday’s jirga between the two sides led to an agreement over the distribution of offices.

Fresh intra-party polls were announced following ANP’s dismal performance in the 2013 general elections during which it faced a stunning defeat in the province. The election process started at the union council level following the completion of the membership drive.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 12^th, 2014.