ANP decides to review coalition with PPP

Annoyed at the delay in signing the regulation by President Asif Ali Zardari, the ANP convened a meeting of the party’s senior members to take stock of the situation arising out of Zardari’s decision to send the proposed regulation to the Parliament.

Chaired by partyís acting central president Senator Muhammad Adeel, the meeting was attended by NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, provincial chief Afrasiyab Khattak, NWFP Senior Minister Bashir Bilour, Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain, provincial general secretary Tajuddin Khan and other senior members.

Reposing confidence in the central president of the party, Asfandyar Wali Khan, the ANP leaders empowered him to take a final decision in this regard.

President Zardari asked Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani on Sunday to present the peace deal and Nizam-e-Adl in National Assembly for discussion, which angered the Pakhtun nationalist party.

The meeting of the ANP, after long deliberations, passed a unanimous resolution to express disappointment at the federal government’s decision. It said the decision was a negation of the understanding reached among the nationalist party, federal government and the Presidency.

The resolution said it had been decided that the president would sign the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation after restoration of peace in Swat. After NWFP governmentís agreement with the Tanzim Nifaz Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM), peace was gradually returning to Swat.

As per agreement, the provincial government through NWFP governor has sent the draft of the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation to the president but it has not got the approval.

Of late, the resolution said, the issue was being referred to the National Assembly without taking the ANP on board. Expressing regret, the participants of the meeting complained that the PPP-led federal government did not take ANP into confidence which could create misunderstanding between the two coalition partners.

The party, to its surprise, came to know about the decision through media.

It further said that being a coalition partner, the PPP’s behaviour to keep elected representatives of ANP not informed was inexplicable.

Members of the consultative committee noted signing of the draft-law had already taken a lot of time and further delay could prove devastating. They said the delay could provide an excuse to the militants to resume violence in Malakand Division.

The ANP being a democratic party was not opposed to legislation by the Parliament but amendments should also be introduced to the constitution to give authority to the legislature to enact law for Fata and Pata.

The party argued that they had already taken all political forces into confidence before taking the decision of enforcing the Nizam-e-Adl and there was no need to waste time in its implementation. The nationalist party assured the people of Malakand division that it would go to any length for bringing back a durable peace and political stability.

End.