PESHAWAR: Awami National Party provincial president Mian Iftikhar Hussain has said that his party has started consultation for formation of ‘grand alliance’ of opposition parties in the province.

“The opposition parties’ alliance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the pattern of the recently-formed alliance in Balochistan is need of the hour,” he said in a statement issued here on Wednesday.

Mr Hussain said that provincial heads of different political parties in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would be approached for consultation soon. He said that issues prevailing in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were almost identical. He added that formation of opposition parties’ alliance in Balochistan was a good omen.

He said that on the directions of ANP central president Aimal Wali Khan, the party started consultation and deliberation for bringing together opposition parties on a single platform.

Mr Hussain said that ANP contacted JUI-F provincial chief Maulana Attaur Rehman, QWP provincial president Sikandar Hayat Sherpao, NDM leader Afrasiab Khattak, AWP leader Akhunzada Haider Zaman Khan, MKP leader Afzal Khamosh and PNAP provincial president Advocate Ashraf Hoti for the purpose.

“Leaders of other opposition parties will also be contacted,” he said. He added that ANP would convene its cabinet meeting after Eid to discuss formation of grand alliance in the province.

Mr Hussain said that action plan for the alliance would be chalked out with the consultations of opposition parties as ANP believed in collective efforts. He said that opposition parties could move forward effectively for resolving the prevailing issues if they forged unity.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2024