The Awami National Party (ANP) is planning to form a new alliance of nationalist parties of the four provinces to peacefully further the cause of provincial autonomy. In this connection, ANP President Asfandyar Wali will be visiting Sindh immediately after Eid-ul-Fitr to take nationalist leaders, such as Dr Qadir Magsi, Rasool Bakhsh Paleejo, into confidence.
ANP sources told Business Recorder on Friday that the move was aimed at uniting the like-minded parties on one platform for a peaceful and apparently long-drawn movement, which would also resist the move to build the controversial Kalabagh dam. However, these sources pointed out that all possible component parties of the proposed alliance would keep their individual identity in tact on the pattern of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy.
ANP will spearhead the peaceful campaign for the grant of provincial autonomy, at least in line with the 1973 Constitution minus the Legal Framework Order-based 17th constitutional amendment. Senator Asfandyar a few weeks back visited Balochistan and besides condoling with the family of Akbar Bugti, also met Attaullah Mengal, Akhtar Mengal and Hasil Bizenjo. These leaders strongly felt that the Federation was under grave threat and could face disintegration if the status quo persisted any longer.
In the second phase of this exercise, ANP leader would meet leading nationalist figures of Sindh and then a grand meeting would be convened, either in Karachi or Quetta, to iron out a consensus formula for the proposed alliance, sources added.
They said that though it was premature, the proposal of an alliance could lead to the nationalist parties' contesting the next elections from one platform.
ANP Information Secretary M Zahid Khan told Business Recorder that the party leader was working on a formula on the quantum of the provinces' control over their resources, which could be unveiled at an appropriate time.
He contended that almost all nationalist parties had a common agenda; therefore, it was time to cobble them together for the cause of smaller provinces' rights. He said that the need for the provincial autonomy was being felt badly after the 'murder' of Akbar Bugti.