April 14, 2002	Sunday	Muharram 30, 1423

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SWABI, April 13: The leadership of Awami National Party wanted to bring back all the Swabi Qaumi Mahaz leaders into their party fold and also some distinguished leaders of PML(N) as to save its stronghold in Swabi, said the party sources to Dawn on Saturday.

In this connection, the sources said, the former federal communication minister Azam Hoti had visited Swabi three-days back and he held a wide-ranging secret talks with the key leaders of the party at the residence of former MNA Haji Rehmanullah.

This meeting was attended by all important leaders of the party, who acknowledged that after the graduation condition for the contesting candidates of forthcoming elections, increasing of national and provincial assembly seats of Swabi and expulsion of some former MPAs, the ANP had been confronted with the leadership dilemma, the sources added.

The former provincial minister Dr Salim, forest minister Awal Sher Khan, former MPAs Abdul Majid Khan and Mr Asmatullah had opposed the ANP parliamentary board decision who had ignored them in the final stage of ticket awarding for the 1997 elections.

After the removal of Nawaz Sharif government the ANP provincial general secretary Salim Khan advocate had tendered resignation and joined National Awami Party Pakistan (NAAP).

Before the 1997 elections the former group revolted and contested elections as independent candidates but none of them emerged victorious. Later they established SQM and joined hands with the Muslim League and inflicted an ignominious defeat on ANP in the district and tehsil Nazim elections.

Among the former MPAs Abdul Majid had joined JUI(F) a few days back and Asmatullah remained impartial but Dr Salim had played a dominant role and posed a grave threat to ANP’s position.

If the ANP failed to convince Dr Salim, the sources said, then another option would be adopted to create cracks in the ranks of SQM and prevent its alliance with the PML and religious parties, especially in the Swabi district.

The sources claimed that the brother-in-law of SQM senior vice president Awal Sher Khan has given the task to convince him for joining ANP and in return he would be awarded the party ticket for the PF-33, Swabi-III.

The sources said that the PML district president and his brother had also been contacted to join ANP, but they rejected the offer. But some PML leaders of Topi had expressed readiness to join ANP, the sources said.