The senior most woman politician in KP and the widow of renowned nationalist leader Wali Khan, Begum Nasim Wali Khan Saturday vowed to carry forward the non-violent movement of Bacha Khan, which she maintains has been hijacked by the incumbent ANP leadership.
Talking to Business Recorder, the veteran politician said her party would try to prove to be the real torchbearer of peace in the province as well as in the country through a non-violent movement launched by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan [Bacha Khan] and his son Khan Abdul Wali Khan by reorganising the real followers of the party founder.
"We've taken this task to bring together all the real followers of Bacha Khan and Wali Khan for the cause to spread the message of peace and love," she said, adding that it was need of the hour that all the followers of Bacha Khan and Wali Khan should come together for peace.
Begum Nasim was 'sidelined' by incumbent ANP leadership in 2005 and she recently broke her silence announcing a new party - Awami National Party-Wali (ANP-W). She asked Asfandyar Wali Khan, her stepson and ANP chief to immediately vacate the Bacha Khan Markaz in Peshawar, the current ANP Headquarters.
To a question whether her age and being a woman would help her make inroads in the male-dominated and militancy-hit province, Begum Nasim said before she was 'sidelined' by the current ANP leadership she had taken an active part in politics since 1974. "I've no rivalry with any one and we will continue our struggles through non-violent efforts," she said while referring to the militants' threats.
Awami National Party, which suffered a crushing defeat in the May 11 general elections, faced its first internal setback after a senior party leader Senator Azam Khan Hoti levelled serious allegations of corruption against the leadership of Asfandyar Wali Khan. However before the party could begin to defend itself against such charges, Begum Nasim Wali entered the political arena with the agenda of providing an alternate leadership to the party.
When contacted Bushra Gohar, ANP's former senior-vice president and currently member of the central organising committee, said although she had great regard for Begum Wali yet she also termed her recent move as an effort to further divide the Pakhtuns. "We were expecting her [Begum Nasim Wali], being an elder with considerable political experience, to strengthen the hands of Asfandyar Wali Khan by standing behind him at this critical time," she said, adding that the new party may benefit the forces behind the division of the party, which according to her was the only representative of the Pakhtuns in the country.
To a question, she said ANP and its leadership has remained the worst victim of the ongoing militancy in the country and was defeated in the last general elections through a "planned conspiracy". "In my opinion, this is yet another effort of the anti-Pakhtun forces but like in previous cases, this too will not weaken ANP in any manner and its resolve to bring peace and prosperity in the region", she maintained.
At the same time, she also recognised that it was her [Begum Nasim] democratic right to play a political role in the country under any banner. To another query, the ANP leader said the followers of late Bacha Khan were untied under the leadership of Asfandyar Wali Khan and taking forward the message of peace. "At the same time, I would also like to ask her [Begum Nasim] why she did not break her silence when the party and its workers were facing a challenging time," she said.