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Pakhtun Nationalists to fight for rights to the natural resources
The newly formed alliance between the Awami National Party (ANP) and the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) is a significant step towards unity among nationalist forces struggling for their rights in Frontier and Balochistan provinces.
The alliance called Pakhtunkhwa National Democratic Alliance (PNDA) was established on July 25 in Islamabad. The prime objective of the alliance is to unite nationalist forces,
mainly in Frontier and Balochistan, and to bring them on one platform from where they could launch efforts and raise their voice for ‘Pakhtuns’ rights to the natural resources.’
A 14-member committee, seven each from both parties, headed by ANP President Asfandyar Wali Khan, will draft the PNDA’s constitution and manifesto and its future course of action. PkMAP President Mahmood Khan Achakzai will replace Asfandyar as the committee’s president in rotation after four months.
The PkMAP was the only major nationalist party which had not aligned itself with the ANP till the establishment of the recent alliance that surprised many political pundits. Veteran nationalists Ajmal Khattak, ANP Provincial President Afrasiab Khattak, Arbab Ayub Jan and several others have either merged their parties into the ANP or joined it.
Achakzai’s father, late Samad Khan Achakzai, was a leader of the National Awami Party (NAP), headed by Asfandyar’s father, Khan Abdul Wali Khan. However, the two leaders had developed differences over some issues and the former quitted the party and established his own.
PNDA’s establishment reflects a strong possibility of a merger between the two nationalist forces. Both sides debated the alliance for over six hours at the Parliament Lodges.
“The committee will first work on its constitution and manifesto of the alliance and if confidence builds up, we can merge our parties,” ANP Provincial Secretary General Mian Iftikhar Hussain told Daily Times. He said the alliance was need of the hour. “Pakhtuns must unite as it is a matter of our survival,” he added.
Hussain said the alliance would contest the coming general elections and address the issues confronting Pakhtuns. “We are united on all issue,” said Hussain. A separate province with NWFP, Attock, Mianwali and 11 districts of Balochistan as its parts, and control over the natural sources are the two main demands of nationalist forces in both provinces.
Nationalists also demand that Pushto be declared the province’s official language.
Will the nationalists dominate the coming elections in the two provinces in the presence of religious forces? A question only the future will answer.
Nationalist and religious forces have diverse stands on the ongoing law and order issues, particularly local Taliban and militants in Swat, Waziristan and other tribal areas.
Major religious parties including the Jamaat-e-Islami and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) have major vote-bank, mostly in rural areas, and can give a tough time to nationalists. Further, every Pakhtun is not a nationalist or speaks Pashto. This factor can shatter the hopes of nationalist forces in achieving their objectives in NWFP.
PNDA to fight for Pakhtuns’ rights
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C07%5C30%5Cstory_30-7-2007_pg7_32 * ANP-PkMAP alliance faces tough competition from religious parties in next elections
The newly formed alliance between the Awami National Party (ANP) and the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) is a significant step towards unity among nationalist forces struggling for their rights in Frontier and Balochistan provinces.
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