SWABI: Differences have surfaced in Awami National Party in Swabi, once considered a stronghold of the Pakhtun nationalist party, according to insiders.

They said that the local chapter of ANP split into two groups. They added that each group of the party was eyeing the slot of ANP district president.

Sources said that ANP would not have lost by-election to the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf if it was united.

Both groups of party eying slot of Swabi district president

They said that one group of the party was led by Awal Sher Khan, former provincial forest minister, and the other was led by Amanullah, the brother of late Rehmanullah, who remained district president for two and half decades.

Ameer Rehman, the son of Rehmanullah, was elected district nazim and district president of ANP but he went abroad as FIR was registered against him in a firing case during elections. Sources said that Mr Amanullah was striving for district president slot.

Mr Sher is backed by former district general secretary Mohammad Islam, who contested elections for provincial assembly in 2013 and National Assembly in 2018 but faced defeat.

“Mr Islam was having serious differences with Ameer Rehman. When the ticket for NA-18, Swabi-1 was award to Mr Islam, Ameer Rehman opposed it,” said a local party leader

Sources said that few weeks ago, Mr Islam along with his supporters visited Mr Sher’s residence and told him that he would be their candidate for the slot of ANP district president.

Similarly, the supporters of Mr Amanullah also told him that his family had led the party in the district for the last three decades and he should continue his struggle for district president slot.

Sources said that it was not yet clear as to who of the two candidates enjoyed the support of the party central leadership. In past, ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan always supported late Rehmanullah.

The internal rift forced some of the local leaders of the party to write a letter to Asfandyar, asking to play his role to resolve the differences.

Sources said that ANP provincial president Ameer Haidar Khan Hoti had invited some leaders of the party to discuss the rift and adopt a way to strengthen the party. They were expected to visit Mardan soon.

This scribe tried to contact Mr Sher and Amanullah but their mobile phones were switched off.

ANP acting district president Shehreyar Khan told Dawn that he was not interested in contesting election for the slot of district president. “I am not interested in the district president election,” he said.

CONFERENCE: Speakers at a conference in Dagai here on Sunday stressed the need for following the teachings of Islam to resolve the problems of Muslims.

The speakers including Muti Shahbuddin Popalzai said that there was dire need of unity among the Muslims. They said that no one could Muslims if they forged unity.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2019