PESHAWAR, Nov 26: The Awami National Party can forge an electoral alliance with Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as talks between them are underway at different districts, according to provincial ANP President Senator Afrasiab Khattak.

He said this in a news release issued after a meeting of the provincial ANP cabinet on Monday.

Mr Khattak, who chaired the meeting, said ANP had kept its doors open to all parties for support and cooperation in the next elections. He said ANP local leaders were holding talks with JUI leaders in their respective districts and that there was a greater likelihood of an electoral alliance between the two parties.

The ANP leader directed the party’s local chapters to organise public meetings in their respective districts to begin election campaign.

He said these public meetings would be addressed by party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan.

Mr Khattak said the party’s cabinet discussed matters relating to development schemes in the province, overall political situation and organisational affairs.

He said ANP would emerge much stronger in the next polls than previous elections due to massive development work in the province over the last four years. He added that large attendance of the people in the party’s public meetings showed that ANP had got more popularity due to implementation of its manifesto and sacrifices against terrorism.

The ANP leader said nobody could deny the sacrifices rendered by ANP leaders and workers against terrorism and the development done by their government over the last four and a half years across the province. He said Asfandyar Wali would address the ANP working committee next month.

Mr Khattak said a committee had been formed to prepare a report on the development programmes carried out by the government in the province.

He urged the party workers to apprise the people of the achievements of the provincial government.

The ANP leader said the party’s cabinet had authorised him to hold talks with leaders of other political parties for roping them in. He said the participants condemned the attack on MPA Yasmin Zia in Lakki Marwat and said the ANP activists couldn’t be terrified by violence.

Mr Khattak said the party’s cabinet also praised the provincial government for foolproof security during Ashura.