PESHAWAR, Nov 9: The central committee of the Pakistan People’s Party (Sherpao group) has agreed to merge the party with the People’s Party Patriots, authorizing its chief, Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, to finalize details in this regard, says a press release.

In this connection, a meeting of the PPP-S members of parliament, NWFP Assembly and central and provincial office- bearers of the party held at the People’s House here on Sunday, the press release said.

Participants of the meeting were unanimous in their agreement about the merger between the two parties.

The PPP-S leaders unanimously gave the mandate to the party chairman, Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, to take up the merger issue with the leadership of PPP-Patriot and give it final touches.

Federal Minister for Water and Power Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao on the occasion said that the merger was necessary in view of the present situation, adding that it was in the larger national interests.

He told the meeting that the party would strive for greater provincial autonomy besides and rights of the people of the Frontier province.

The meeting, the press release said, reposed confidence in the leadership of Aftab Sherpao and assured him all out support.

The meeting, through a resolution, urged the federal government to issue grant directly to opposition members of the NWFP Assembly as the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government was not cooperating in that regard.

Another resolution expressed no-confidence in the present Zakat system in the NWFP, asking the federal government to order the constitution of district-level Baitul Maal committees for transparent distribution of funds among the poor.