NOWSHERA, Oct 12: The ANP and the National Awami Party Pakistan (NAPP) of Ajmal Khattak on Saturday agreed to work towards merger of the two Pukhtun nationalist parties.

The dramatic announcement came after the NAPP leader made a surprising and unexpected visit to Walibagh in the morning and met veteran political and former colleague, Khan Abdul Wali Khan, Begum Nasim Wali Khan and Asfandyar Wali Khan. The meeting lasted for three hours.

The ANP leaders including Begum Nasim Wali Khan, Asfandyar Wali Khan and Azam Hoti later made a reciprocal visit to Akora Khattak and met Ajmal Khattak.

The visits came in the wake of shocking defeat of the ANP in the provincial and national elections.

Ajmal Khattak had broken ranks with the ANP and formed his own NAPP after his meetings with Gen. Pervez Musharraf and endorsement of his policies.

Addressing a press conference, Asfandyar Wali Khan, who resigned as central president, said unity among the Pukhtun nationalists had become the need of the hour. “Unity is a must if we are to achieve the rights of our people”, he stressed.

“If mullahs with divergent sectarian views can get together, why can’t we”, he asked.

He said that Ajmal Khattak was like a father to him and had given him a lot of affection.

Mr Khattak on this occasion said that all differences and bitterness between them had been removed. “We need to unite Pukhtuns and we have started the initiative from our homes”, he added.

He said that they had agreed to chalk out a common course and work gradually towards merger of the two parties after taking their workers into confidence.

Mr Khattak said efforts would also be made to unite other Pukhtun nationalist parties on one platform.

Commenting on the MMA success in the polls, Asfandyar Wali said his party had accepted the election results and would now watch the performance of the religious parties towards fulfilment of their election promises.

The MMA government would not last long, he claimed. He said that Wali Khan during his meeting with Khattak emphasised the need for unity among the nationalist parties. “This is the need of the hour”, Asfandyar quoted his octogenarian father as saying.

FAHIM, LEGHARI: PPP(P) leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim and Millat Party leader Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari called on MMA leader Qazi Hussain Ahmad and discussed with him elections results and prospects of formation of a coalition government at the centre.