CHARSADDA: Awami National Party central president Asfandyar Wali Khan and veteran politician Begum Naseem Wali Khan have finally reconciled and decided to take forward the philosophy of Bacha Khan jointly.

Naseem Wali Khan, widow of late Abdul Wali Khan, announced to merge her faction Awami National Party-Wali (ANP-W) into ANP after she set aside her difference with ANP central president and her stepson Asfandyar Wali Khan.

The announcement was made at Wali Bagh here on Tuesday during a meeting that was also attended by their family members Aimal Wali Khan, Lawangeen Khan and a large number of party workers.

Former chief minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, the nephew of Naseem Wali Khan, who played vital role in the family-cum-political reconciliation, was also present on this occasion.

Few years ago, Begum Naseem Wali Khan, who had already tense relationship with Asfandyar Wali Khan, developed differences with the ANP leadership owing to political reasons that resulted in her parting ways with the party and formation of ANP-W.

Mr Hoti, who is also provincial president of ANP, had been making efforts to remove the differences between the two senior leaders, who were also his close relatives. Finally, the two leaders set aside their differences and announced at their residence during a ceremony to work jointly from the platform of ANP.

Both the leaders announced to follow one manifesto and strive to spread message of Bacha Khan.

Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, commonly known as Bacha Khan, the founder of Khudai Khidmatgar Movement before partition, who spread the message of non-violence among Pakhtuns used to visit the hujras of people to remove differences among them.

The two important members of the family of Bacha Khan also finally decided to forget their differences and work under the same banner for the rights of Pakhtuns.

Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2017