PESHAWAR, March 29: The National Awami Party Pakistan, which suffered a split two days ago, has decided to unite all the pro- democracy and secular forces under one banner to free the country from feudalism, sectarianism, ethnicity and foreign influence.

Talking to Dawn by telephone from his Akora Khattak residence, NAPP chief Ajmal Khattak said that his party’s general council had empowered him to go ahead and resume talks with other parties for the unity of secular and democratic forces.

He said he had convened a joint meeting of members of central and provincial councils and district presidents and secretaries on Friday, who discussed the prevailing crisis in the party and other organizational issues.

The joint meeting, he said, condemned a smear campaign against him and urged the NWFP chapter of the NAPP to desist from making illegal and unconstitutional decisions against him.

He said the NAPP had five provincial units and only a selected group of the NWFP unit overacted against him. “They don’t know what they have done. All of them have misunderstood him, because they were of the view that I am going to merge the party with a particular party. The central committee and provincial units have a right to decide about it”, he added.

He said how a particular group could unseat him or oust him from the party. “They must review their illegal approach towards a sensitive issue. We all are responsible for mistakes. We failed to organize the NAPP as we wished on the eve of its founding”, he added.

Mr Khattak said he had advised the provincial chapters to hold their meetings and discuss the political and organizational issues confronting the party. “I myself will attend all these meetings”, he said.