HARIPUR: ANP senior vice-president in Haripur district Safdar Nawaz Khan has announced that he has parted ways with the party for being dissatisfied with its policies.

He made the announcement during a news conference here along with several ANP workers from Panian and surrounding areas.

Mr Safdar said hehad joined the ANP in early 90s and held different offices in the district chapter.

Safdar Nawaz says dissatisfied with party policies

He claimed that despite facing strong resistance from his family and local residents primarily due to the ANP’s ‘anti-Hazara division narrative’, which had existed for decades, he diligently worked for the party and increased its basic membership in Haripur by thousands.

He however said the linguistic approach of the party’s leadership pushed the Hindko-speaking party workers to the wall.

Mr Safdar said unfortunately, his development schemes remained incomplete during the ANP government between 2008 and 2013.

“In 2012, the ANP’s provincial minister had approved a Rs7 million sports stadium for his village, Panian, funding for three community organisations carrying out development schemes, and establishment of Bacha Khan Markaz in Haripur but the provincial and district leadership of the party deliberately pushed all those projects under the carpet,” he said.

Mr Safdar also claimed that he had offered to donate his personal building for establishing the Bacha Khan Markaz and submitted a financial proposal of Rs1.6 million on the directives of the leadership but the district president of the party created hurdles to it for being opposed to any Hindko-speaking office-bearer getting close to the leadership.

He said the policy of welcoming electables at the time of elections and ignoring the longtime affiliates and diehard workers had caused the ANP’s massive defeat in elections.

He accused the ANP leadership of promoting a‘specific lobby’ and disrespecting ideologues.

Mr Safdar said the federal government should declare all divisions of the country, including Hazara, separate provinces.

He said he and his supporters would support election candidates other than ANP’s in light of the local political dynamics.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2018