PESHAWAR, Feb 6: The Pukhtunkhwa Qaumi Party (PQP) on Monday merged with the Awami National Party (ANP). The president of the PQP, Mr Afzal Khan made the announcement of merger with ANP at a press conference which was attended by ANP leaders.

Mr Khan said his differences’ with the ANP had been removed after it agreed to include PQP’s one-point agenda in its manifesto.

“Unity of Pukhtuns through peaceful democratic movement is our main objective now and there is no need for a separate political party for such a movement after the ANP included this point in its manifesto,” said Mr Afzal Khan.

Mr Afzal Khan, who was the federal minister for Kashmir affairs and northern areas in the second PPP government Benazir Bhutto, had established PQP 17 years ago after developing differences with late ANP president Wali Khan.

Justifying his party’s merger with ANP, he said Pukhtuns were passing through hard times and deprived of their rights, adding that Pukhtun leaders should forget their differences.

He said the Baloch and Pukhtoon nations were victimised and the Baloch, aware of their situation, were fighting for their rights.

The Pukhtuns should unite and rise to fight for their rights, Mr Khan said.

Mr Khan criticised the military government for victimising Pukhtuns in the North and South Waziristan.

“President Musharraf wants to resolve Kashmir issue through peaceful negotiation, the president should also adopt the same stand on Waziristan issue and stop using force against his own people”, Mr Khan said.

Mr Khan said that the ANP had played an important role in the Pukhtoon politics and almost all nationalist leaders and political workers got training at the ANP’s platform.

Bashir Bilour, provincial president of ANP, welcomed Mr Afzal Khan and his party members on joining the ANP. It would strengthen progressive nationalists in the province, he said.

“We want provincial autonomy and rights of the Pukhtuns. Pukhtuns should have the right to rule and the right to decide,” said Mr Bilour.

ANP president Asfandyar Wali Khan said that Pukhtuns needed to be united in their struggle for regaining their self-respect.

Ghaffar Khan (Bacha Khan) and Khan Abdul Wali Khan, two Pukhtoon leaders, also wanted Pukhtuns to be united as a nation, Mr Asfandyar said.

“The Pukhtuns should be united for their survival and they should not make it an issue of ego but think about the future of their next generation,” Mr Asfandyar said.

PQP’s leaders Aman Kansi from Balochistan and Farooq Mehtab from Sindh were appointed members of ANP’s executive council.