PPP rules out electoral alliance with ANP

The Pakistan People’s Party, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Tuesday announced to contest next elections without making an alliance with the Awami National Party. The announcement was made by the new PPP president in the province, Anwar Saifullah Khan, during a news conference at the house of senior provincial minister Rahimdad Khan here. He was accompanied by PPP leaders, including National Assembly deputy speaker Faisal Karim Kundi, provincial assembly speaker Kiramatullah Khan Chagharmatti and provincial ministers Hamayun Khan, Mehmood Zeb and Qalb-i-Hassan. Mr Saifullah, who replaced Senator Sardar Ali, said the option of seat-to-seat adjustment in different districts with likeminded political parties possible would remain open. He said he would re-organise the party in the province and redress grievances of workers across the province. The provincial PPP president said the party’s organisational structure would be completed next week as he had a very short time to carry out his plans. He said names of the party’s new office-bearers would be announced at a news conference.“We can go to any extent for strengthening the party so that we’ll work as a team and ensure the winning of the maximum seats in the next elections,” he said. Mr Saifullah said currently, PPP was working as a ‘B’ team of Awami National Party in the province and similarly, ANP was supporting PPP in the centre but in future, his party would be in the position to form its own government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said senior PPP leaders would be made office-bearers in Malakand division, Hazara division and southern districts to organise the party across the province. “I have decided to shift from Islamabad to Peshawar to run the People’s Secretariat on a regular basis where ministers, MNAs and MPAs will be assigned duties to serve workers on rotation basis,” he said. The provincial PPP president said his party would award tickets for next elections purely on merit and the sitting MNAs and MPAs, who didn’t deliver, wouldn’t be fielded. He said a meeting of all elected representatives and office-bearers of PPP, including former lawmakers and divisional presidents, would be convened next week to review the party’s organisational structure in the province. “My aim is to re-group the party in all 25 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa before general elections. I will visit each district to learn about problems of our workers,” he said. Mr Saifullah expressed the hope that people would elect PPP to power in the province for their service, especially relief against militancy, loadshedding and unemployment. APP adds: The provincial PPP chief thanked party co-chairman Asif Zardari, chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and women wing president Faryal Talpur over his nomination for the office. He said he would prepare the party in such a way that it could sweep next elections. Mr Saifullah said PPP believed in the federation and always struggled for the rights of the people, democracy and stronger democratic institutions. He said his was a disciplined party and it would make no compromise on discipline. The provincial PPP president said ANP was in the driving seat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and running the affairs of the government on its own. He said PPP would review the performance of the PPP ministers, MNAs and MPAs before taking a decision about award of tickets to them. Earlier, Mr Rahimdad praised Saifullah family for their services to the country and province and said leaders and workers would help him strengthen party in the province.