SWABI: Differences among the local leaders of Awami National Party persisted even after holding intra-party elections in the district, said sources.

They said that central and provincial leaders of the party would have to intervene to remove the end the rift in the district chapter of the party. However, the leaders of the group that lost the intra-party elections said that they had accepted the poll results.

On the other hand, the chairman and other members of the election committee said that those, who had tested defeat in the polls, should accept the results and support the winners in the best interest of the party.

Members of election panel reject allegations about playing partial role

Pervaiz Khan, former MNA and chairman of the committee, rejected the allegations about playing a partial role in the polls or issuing directions by the party high-ups in the whole exercise.

Talking to journalists, he said that the enrolment of members and the distribution of the enrolment forms and copies in all the four tehsils and district elections were conducted in a transparent manner.

“We have fulfilled our responsibilities honestly and remained neutral in the entire exercise,” he added.

Dr Taleem Begum, a member of the committee, said that they were true followers of Bacha Khan and any negative propaganda for harming the party and misguiding the workers in the district would be strongly opposed.

Zahid Khan, the district nazim, who was also member of the committee, said that the elections were concluded in a democratic way and those, who hurled allegations, should accept their defeat.

Awwal Sher Khan, former provincial minister, who led his group against the elected district president of party Amanullah Khan, when contacted, said that despite their reservations about the election of district president, his group had accepted the defeat and expressed readiness to work in the best interest of the party.

“We have conveyed this message to the winner group and remained silent in the best interest of the party. We are democratic people and know how work and contest elections,” he said.

However, insiders said that serious differences among the ANP leaders remained intact and the central and provincial leaders had to play their role in uniting the party to make it a powerful force to counter Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and other political parties.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2019