PESHAWAR, Oct 11: Awami National Party chief, Asfandyar Wali Khan and provincial president, Begum Nasim Wali Khan, have resigned from the party offices accepting the election results.

“Morally I feel bound to step down from the party office after having lost elections at my own constituency,” said Asfandyar Wali Khan at a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club.

Following in his footsteps, his mother and provincial president of ANP, Begum Nasim Wali, also announced that she had also decided to step down from the party office in view of the election results.

“Reality on the ground is this that this is the situation. We are not going to hold anybody responsible for our defeat nor we are going to complain that elections were rigged,” said Nasim Wali flanked by senior party leaders including Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour, Haji Adeel, Mian Iftikhar and Syed Aaqil Shah.

She said she tried to perform duties as the party’s provincial chief with the best of her capabilities, “but I failed in my endeavour this time round.”

Asfandyar Wali said ANP’s senior vice president Ehsan Wayne from Punjab, would act as president of the party after his resignation.

Similarly, Bashir Ahmed Bilour, senior vice-president of the party’s NWFP chapter would be taking over as the acting provincial chief of the party, Begum Wali said.

“There is absolutely no question of getting back the resignations,” Nasim Wali said when asked about the chances of their withdrawing the resignation if pressed by the party leaders and workers.

“According to ANP constitution, resignations do not go for discussion or acceptance to the party central or provincial executive committee, hence, our decision is final and we would convince our workers, supporters and leaders on this issue,” Begum Wali said.

Asfandyar Wali Khan lost elections to MMA’s Maulana Gohar Shah from his native Charsadda district with a wide margin.

He said he did not see any justification to continue as party chief after having lost at his own constituency.

Nasim Wali said she too did not find reason to continue as the provincial president anymore after the party suffered defeat at all the national assembly seats and majority of 54 provincial assembly seats on which ANP candidates had been fielded in the NWFP.