Tag: ANP

  • Aimal Wali Khan elected ANP central president

    Aimal Wali Khan elected ANP central president

    Awami National Party (ANP) president Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Aimal Wali Khan was elected the central president of the party on Sunday.

    Chief Election Commissioner Iftikhar Hussain chaired the party’s general council meeting at ANP’s Bacha Khan Centre in Peshawar.

    Haider Khan Hoti suggested Aimal’s name for the presidency, and no other candidates submitted their nomination papers against the Wali scion, Geo has reported.

    Aimal’s father, Asfand Yar Wali, was the previous president of the party. However, the veteran politician has been away from politics for a while, reportedly due to ill health, and didn’t take part in the February 8 general elections.

    On the other hand, ANP central spokesperson Zahid Khan announced his resignation from his position on Saturday. He said that he would not be participating in the ANP’s intra-party elections.

    Sources within the party who know about the situation said that Zahid and Hoti didn’t participate in the intra-party polls.

  • Asfandyar Wali wins defamation case against PTI leader

    Asfandyar Wali wins defamation case against PTI leader

    In a significant legal victory, Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali Khan has emerged triumphant in a defamation lawsuit against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader and former provincial minister Shaukat Ali Yousafzai, resulting in a Rs150 million judgment in his favor.

    Additional district and session judge Ejazur Rehman Qazi announced an ex parte verdict in the case as Yousafzai didn’t attend court proceedings.

    Asfandyar had sued the PTI leader through his counselsc Tariq Afghan and Sajeed Afridi, for alleging in a presser on July 25, 2019, that the ANP chief had “sold Pashtuns for $25 million.”

    Yousafzai was the spokesman for the then-PTI government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

    The counsel for Asfandyar told the court that their client was the son of Pakhtun leader Khan Abdul Wali Khan and the grandson of Pakhtun leader Bacha Khan, both prominent leaders of international repute in the Independence Movement.

    They emphasized Asfandyar Wali Khan’s extensive political experience, having served multiple terms in the National Assembly, as well as in the Senate and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.

    The court noted that while the plaintiff presented six witnesses and substantial evidence, the defendant failed to attend court proceedings and produced only one witness. Consequently, the court proceeded ex parte against Yousafzai.

    In its detailed judgment, the court emphasized that the burden of proof lay with the defendant, who failed to provide any evidence to substantiate his allegations. The court determined that the derogatory remarks made by Yousafzai during the press conference were defamatory and lacked any justification or explanation.

    Based on the evidence presented, the court ruled in favor of Asfandyar, awarding him Rs100 million in damages and an additional Rs50 million in aggravated damages. The judgment underscored that the plaintiff had successfully established his case and was entitled to the decree sought.

  • Harassment of Pakhtuns in Punjab unacceptable; Aimal Wali Khan warns government

    Harassment of Pakhtuns in Punjab unacceptable; Aimal Wali Khan warns government

    Aimal Wali Khan, the President of Awami National Party (ANP) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has accused Punjab authorities of engaging in harassment against Pakhtuns in the province.

    “The Punjab government has initiated a crackdown on Pakhtuns from KP and Balochistan, who live there for work, trade, and business. If it doesn’t stop harassing Pakhtuns, we won’t allow the presence of non-locals in our province even if they’re government employees,” the ANP leader told a public meeting in the Titwalan area of Martung tehsil on Thursday.

    Highlighting the right of individuals with national identity cards issued by NADRA to live or work anywhere in the country, Khan emphasized that Pakhtuns should enjoy the same rights as people from other ethnic backgrounds.

    He urged the central government to release due funds to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa promptly.

    Khan further addressed economic disparities, stating that while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa produced 6,000 megawatts of electricity and sold it to the center at a nominal rate, its residents were compelled to purchase the same electricity at a significantly higher cost.

    The ANP leader said the people shouldn’t sell votes for “plastic pipes, water tanks and electricity poles” and should instead vote for the ANP for their and next generations’ development.

    He regretted that many coal miners from Shangla lost their lives due to a lack of safety measures at work. He blamed the issue on “bad governance and the corrupt system.”

    He said coal mine workers significantly contributed to economic development but the state and government had neglected their welfare and development.

    “As a lawmaker, I’ll strive for the workplace protection and welfare of miners,” he said.

    The ANP leader said in the upcoming elections, the people should reject those, who had been making false promises to them for the last over a decade, and should vote for the ANP for their development.

    ANP candidates Aurangzeb Khan (NA-11), Faisal Zeb Khan (PK-30), Altaf Khan (PK-29), district president Azam Khan and leader Gulab Shahpuri also addressed the meeting.

  • Elections Date; kis nay kia welcome, kaun jaye ga court?

    Elections Date; kis nay kia welcome, kaun jaye ga court?

    After the announcement of the timeframe of elections by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), major political parties in the former ruling alliance welcomed the development, hoping that it would dispel apprehensions about the political situation of the country.

    “The final list of constituencies will be published on November 30. After that, elections will be held in the last week of January 2024,” the commission said in a statement.

    Reacting to the development, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) viewed it as positive development while Awami National Party (ANP) demanded a specific date. However, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) decided to challenge the move in court.

    PTI

    After the announcement, PTI has decided to challenge the Commission’s decision to conduct elections in the last week of January.
    While talking to Geo News, PTI’s core committee member Niazullah Niazi said that the Constitution calls for elections within 90 days, and exceeding the period is unlawful.

    “We will challenge the Election Commission’s decision. The way the ECP is working it does not look like a constitutional institution,” Niazi said, adding that President Arif Alvi has the authority to announce a date for polls.

    PMLN

    Senior PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal stated that his party welcomed the decision by the ECP as it has ended uncertainty about delimitations.

    “Everyone knew from the first day that the election commission was bound to conduct delimitation after the census,” he said.

    “Earlier, the ECP had said to complete the delimitation process by December 15 after which the polls were estimated to be held in February next year. However, our party had given suggestions to the ECP to reduce the delimitation period. In the light of those suggestions, the ECP reduced the delimitation time till November 30 and then announced elections at the end of January after the 54-day period,” he added.

    He further added, “It is important that the elections are held peacefully, and a stable government is formed that takes the country out of the economic crisis.”

    PPP

    PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira stated that he could only give his own opinion on the matter but viewed the development as “positive”.
    The former federal minister said that uncertainty would end and things would hopefully move in a positive direction. “Let’s hope for the best.”

    ANP

    Meanwhile, the Awami National Party has urged the ECP to fix an exact date for the election.

    Senior ANP leader Zahid Khan said that his part has demanded that elections be held in 90 days and the party raised the same issue when they met Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja.

    MQM

    MQM-P leader Mustafa Kamal told Geo news that they are satisfied with the development.

    However, he said it is yet to be seen whether the ECP would address the party’s concerns regarding the demarcation of constituencies after publishing an initial list of delimitation.

    The former Karachi mayor said his party would file a complaint if they found any problem with the delimitation process.

  • ANP leader Arbab Ghulam Muhammad Kasi found dead in Kuchlak area

    ANP leader Arbab Ghulam Muhammad Kasi found dead in Kuchlak area

    Arbab Ghulam Muhammad Kasi, a senior leader of the Awami National Party (ANP), was found dead on Tuesday in the Kuchlak area of Balochistan.

    The SHO of the new Kuchlak police station has said that the body of the senior leader was found in the village of Sheikh Jamal Atuzai in the Kuchlak area. Official authorities have taken custody of the body.

    According to the initial report, a gunshot wound on the right temple is visible, while a bullet casing was also found at the crime scene.

    Police and other official authorities are still investigating whether the incident was murder or suicide.

    The body of the ANP leader has been transferred to Quetta Civil Hospital for a post-mortem.

  • Imran Khan wins big: PTI bags 6 NA, 2 Punjab Assembly seats

    Imran Khan wins big: PTI bags 6 NA, 2 Punjab Assembly seats

    The Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan — who was contesting from seven constituencies — won the by-elections in six of eight National Assembly (NA) seats across Pakistan on Sunday.

    The PTI chief won seats in Peshawar, Mardan, Charsadda, Faisalabad, and Nankana Sahib after beating the ruling coalition’s candidates, but faced defeat at the hands of Pakistan Poeple’s Party’s (PPP) Abdul Hakeem Baloch and Musa Ali Gillani. PPP managed to clinch two — NA-157 Multan and NA-237 Karachi — which were bagged by the PTI in the 2018 general elections.

    The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM-P) and the Awami National Party (ANP), could not manage to grab any NA seat.

    Details of National Assembly seats

    The constituencies where polling took place included NA-22 Mardan-III, NA-24 Charsadda-II, NA-31 Peshawar-V, NA-108 Faisalabad-VIII, NA-118 Nankana Sahib-II, NA 157 Multan-IV, NA-237 Malir-II, NA-239 Korangi, Karachi-I.

    NA-22 Mardan-III:

    Imran Khan bagged 76,681 votes while the JUI-F’s nominee Muhammad Qasim got 68,181 votes, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said, adding that the voter turnout was 32.9per cent in Mardan.

    NA-24 Charsadda-II

    The PTI chief got a total of 78589 votes against Awami National Party (ANP) Aimal Wali Khan’s 68,356 votes. Khan won the contest by 10,233 votes.

    NA-31 Peshawar-V

    Khan bagged 57,824 to defeat his rival in Peshawar’s NA-31 by-election, according to unofficial results, with ANP’s Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour securing 32,253 votes — allowing the PTI chairman to win by more than 25,000 votes. In Peshawar, the turnout was recorded at 20.28 per cent.

    NA-108 Faisalabad-VIII

    In Faisalabad (NA-108), Imran Khan won after securing 99,841 votes against PML-N leader Abid Sher Ali, who got 75,266 votes.

    NA-118 Nankana Sahib-II

    Khan also won Nankana Sahib (NA-118 ) after getting 90,180 votes against PML-N nominee Shezra Mansab Ali Khan Kharal, who got 78,024 votes.

    NA-239 Korangi, Karachi-I

    The PTI chief also won Karachi’s NA-239 by-polls with 50,014 votes, according to unofficial results, as the party retained the seat in Korangi. Khan defeated MQM-P’s Nayyar Raza in an easy contest.

    NA-237 Malir-II

    In Karachi, PPP won the Malir constituency (NA-237), with its candidate Abdul Hakim Baloch securing 32,567 against Imran Khan’s 22,493.

    NA 157 Multan-IV

    In Multan (NA-157), former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani’s son Ali Musa Gillani managed to defeat Meher Bano, daughter of former foreign minister and PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and grabbed the seat for the PPP with a wide margin. Musa Gillani secured 107,327 votes while Meher Bano Qureshi got 82,141. This was the only NA seat where Imran Khan did not contest the by-poll.

    Details of Provincial seats

    By-elections were also held on three Punjab Assembly seats — PP-241 Bahawal­nagar-V, PP-209 Khanewal-VII, and PP-139 Sheikhupura-V.

    PP-209 Khanewal-VII

    In Khanewal (PP-209), PTI’s Faisal Khan Niazi won after securing 71,156 votes against PML-N’s Chaudhry Ziaur Rehman who got 57,630 votes only.

    PP-241 Bahawal­nagar-V

    In Bahawalnagar (PP-241), PTI nominee Malik Muzzaffar Khan got 59,957 against PML-N candidate Amanullah Sattar’s 48,147.

    PP-139 Sheikhupura-V

    PML-N’s Iftikhar Ahmad Bhangoo won PP-139 Sheikhupura seat after getting 40,829 votes against PTI nominee Muhammad Abu Bakar’s 37,712 votes.

  • KP LG polls: PTI loses, Shibli Faraz says party lost because of ‘PTI vs PTI’

    In the first phase of local government elections held in Khyber Pakhtun­khwa (KP), Opposition parties have had a combined lead over the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), according to unofficial results.

    Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz said that the ruling party lost because “PTI was contesting against PTI”.

    “If it was not PTI vs PTI, we would have really won the elections. The results are still being announced. It was a crucial election but our performance has been really good,” said Shibli.

    The PTI is ahead on 15 seats followed by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) 13, Awami National Party (ANP) nine, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) two, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), and the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) one each — which totals up to 26 seats for the Opposition parties as per unofficial and unverified results. Meanwhile, independent candidates are in the lead on 13 seats, reports Dawn.

    In all, 12.668 million voters — seven million male and five and a half million female — were registered for the polls in the 17 KP districts.

    In the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), local government elections were held for the first time in Khyber, Mohmand and Bajaur districts.

  • ‘PPP and ANP have left PDM’: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

    ‘PPP and ANP have left PDM’: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

    General Secretary of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, said that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Awami National Party (ANP) have left PDM. “Now their paths are separate.”

    “There are eight parties in PDM and they will continue to do their work. The doors of PDM are open for every party that will follow the manifesto and decisions of PDM,” added Abbasi.

    Meanwhile, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that leaders of the fragmented anti-government alliance appear to be “confused and divided”.

    Bilawal further added that PPP was not part of the meeting held on Saturday, yet PDM is still following the manifesto that was presented by the PPP when PDM was formed.

    “We can have positive feelings for each other and wish everybody good luck. Everybody has the right to do Opposition politics in accordance to their own manifesto and ideology,” said the PPP chairman.

    He made these remarks while addressing a press conference with ANP leaders in Charsadda on Sunday.

    PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Saturday said that the PPP and ANP were not discussed in the PDM meeting, as they are not part of the alliance.

    “They [PPP] can still contact the PDM leadership and apprise them about their intentions. But it is not something that we will waste time over anymore during PDM meetings,” said Maulana Fazl.

    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    ‘Shehbaz Sharif’s dinner had nothing to do with PDM’: Maryam Nawaz
    
			
    ‘Shehbaz Sharif’s dinner had nothing to do with PDM’: Maryam Nawaz
    
			
    PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz on Tuesday said her party president Shehbaz Sharif’s dinner had nothing to do with the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). Shehbaz held a dinner on Monday for Opposition leaders, including those from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Awami National Party (ANP).
    

    “He hosted the dinner as the leader of Opposition, as they had to devise a strategy for the budget session,” said Maryam. “Shehbaz Sharif is the Opposition leader [in National Assembly]. He hosted the dinner for parliamentarians. My presence was not needed,” she said when asked about her absence from the dinner.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Maryam said PDM had not received any response from the PPP regarding the party’s return to the alliance. She said that when the PPP addresses PDM’s concerns, the alliance will deliberate over the matter.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Meanwhile, PDM Secretary-General Shahid Khaqan Abbasi stated that there was no place for the PPP within the opposition alliance until it restored the trust it had broken.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Speaking to the media in Islamabad, the PML-N leader said that  the opposition alliance was formed for a particular purpose. “If you are not committed to the movement, then there is no place for you within the PDM.”
    

    “The PPP can’t just rejoin the movement. They can only do so once they restore their trust in the PDM. The alliance does not have a revolving-door policy that you break its trust, leave the movement and try to come back again when you face difficulties,” added Khaqan.
    

    “The door is closed. The door will only open when you rebuild trust,” he said.
    

    Maryam Nawaz’s media talk
    

    

    

    

    

    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    ‘Dictator Maryam’ blamed for PDM’s downfall
    
			
    ‘Dictator Maryam’ blamed for PDM’s downfall
    
			
    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president and key leader of the opposition alliance, Maryam Nawaz has been accused of having a “dictatorial attitude” that has also been cited as the reason behind the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) downfall.
    

    As per the details, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders travelled to Wali Bagh, the residence of Awami National Party (ANP) head Asfandyar Wali on Thursday and held talks with him and other party leaders on the evolving political situation in the country.
    

    The PPP and ANP are the two parties with which the PDM is having differences ever since ex-premier Yousuf Raza Gilani’s election as the Senate opposition leader — a move deemed as betrayal by other parties of the opposition alliance.
    

    The ANP has already announced to quit the PDM, saying the show-cause notices over voting for Gilani were an insult to the party.
    

    Briefing reporters after the meeting, Nayyar Hussain Bukhari and Mian Iftikhar Hussain said the PPP would take the decision of whether or not to quit the PDM at its Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting scheduled later this month.
    

    They blamed the “dictatorial attitude” of Maryam Nawaz for the disintegration of the alliance.
    

    “The split in the PDM began with the issuance of the show-cause notice,” Mian Iftikhar Hussain said, adding, it was an insult to ANP and couldn’t be tolerated.
    

    Meanwhile, Nayyar Hussain Bukhari said the PPP had proposed Maulana Fazlur Rahman as the PDM head but the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief adopted “a step-motherly attitude” towards the PPP. 
    

    “PPP is not subordinate to any political party.”
    

    He said that the PPP was ready for the “long march” to Islamabad and wanted to use resignations from the assemblies as the last option.