BAJAUR: Two factions of Awami National Party in Bajaur tribal district on Sunday decided to end their differences after more than one year.

Talks were held between the leaders of both the groups in the presence of reconciliatory committee in Nawai Kallay in Khar teshil.

The members of the committee, constituted on the directives of ANP provincial leadership several weeks ago, conveyed concerns of central leaders about the rift to both the groups.

The five-member committee head by Sheikh Janzada told them that disagreements among the workers over some affair did not mean to create rift in the party. They said that membership of those workers, who were responsible for the rift, would be cancelled if they didn’t mend their ways.

The leaders of both the groups, led by ANP incumbent district president Gul Afzal Khan and former district president Attaullah Khan, agreed to shun their differences after the committee warned them about cancellation of their basic membership.

The leaders of both the groups said they were glad to end their differences for the larger interests of party. They said that they would never repeat the mistake of creating rift in the party.

The leaders of both the rival groups and members of the reconciliatory committee did not mention the main causes of differences and groupings in the party.

However, sources told this scribe that differences developed among the local leaders of ANP during the elections held for provincial assembly on July 20, 2019.

They said that the differences erupted in the party when scores of senior leaders refused to join the election campaign of party nominees as they were not happy over award of tickets to the candidates for the polls.

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2020