PESHAWAR, July 27: Key office bearers of Qaumi Jamhoori Party (QJP) from NWFP have resigned from basic membership of the party due to growing differences on central level after the death of party’s founder Omer Asghar Khan.

A meeting of the party members from NWFP was held here on Friday, following which some of the key members announced their resignations from the party.

The resigned members include: provincial president, Mukhtar Bacha; central vice-president, Gul Rehman; provincial secretary-general, Jameel; provincial information  secretary, Shakeel Waheedullah Khan; finance secretary, Mohammad Idrees; and joint secretary, Ms Riffat aziz.

During the meeting the members said at the time of formation of the party it was decided that the QJP would be kept away from dynastic politics, but after the death of Omer Asghar Khan last month some of the central leaders were bent upon the appointment of Air Marshal Asghar Khan as the central president of the party.

It is learnt that soon after the death of Omer some of the leaders suggested that to keep the party functional it was necessary to bring forward any of the member from Omer’s family. However, members from NWFP opposed that move on the ground that there should be some difference between QJP and other parties. They added that party should not be run on dynastic basis. However, on 20th Asghar Khan was elected as party’s chief during the central executive council meeting.

About their future line of action, one of the resigning member told Dawn that right now they had not made any decision either to join any other party or to form a new party. About the views of members from other provinces, he said they had also been discussing this issue and they might follow the suit.

During the meeting the members paid tribute to the late Omer Asghar Khan, stating that he was organizing the party on true democratic lines. They added that his death was a setback to the party which was still in its infancy.