The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Awami National Party (ANP) have locked horns on the issue of renaming NWFP, party source told Business Record on Friday. According to the sources, both the parties are not showing flexibility on their respective stances on renaming the province.
He said that a detailed meeting on this issue was held on Thursday between ANP Chief Asfandyar Wali and Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in his chamber.
He said that Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan briefed PML-N Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif about his meeting with Asfandyar Wali here on Friday at Punjab House. PML-N leader Raja Zafarul Haq, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, Pervez Rashid, Ishaq Dar and others were also present on the occasion.
He said that PML-N proposed the name of Khaiber, Abaseen and Nelaab while ANP proposed the names Pakhtunkhawa, Pakhtunistan and Afghania. The sources said that Mian Nawaz Sharif directed the PML-N's five-member committee - headed by Sartaj Aziz -consisting of Sardar Mehtab Abbasi, Saranjam Khan, Pir Sabir Shah and former MNA Nasir Khan to continue consultation with ANP and resolve this issue amicably as soon as possible. In this regard, Mian Nawaz Sharif also asked Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to play his role to resolve this issue. He said that PML-N had also suggested Pakhtunkhawa-Hazara as the new name for the NWFP.