JUI-F activist in Torghar joins ANP

MANSEHRA: An activist of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl and former tehsil nazim of Judbah in Torghar district announced to join the Awami National Party on Friday.

Maulana Abdul Qadir announced to join the ANP along with his supporters at a ceremony in Oghi.

ANP’s general secretary Sardar Hussain Babak, MPA Laiq Muhammad Khan and local party leaders also attended the ceremony.

“Maulana Qadir has joined us along with his sympathisers, which has proved that Torghar is still a stronghold of the ANP and we will sweep the upcoming local government elections not only in Torghar but also in the rest of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” Laiq Muhammad Khan told reporters.

He said that it was ANP government, which had sanctioned Rs4 billion development package for the erstwhile tribal belt of Mansehra district in 2011 after it was given the status of a settled district.

Maulana Abdul Qadir said that the ANP believed in the democratic norms.

However, Maulana Safiullah, JUI-F spokesman in Torghar, said Maulana Abdul Qadir frequently changes parties and never followed his party’s ideology.

“Though Maulana Abdul Qadir joined our party ahead of the 2005 local government elections, his decision to part ways will not affect our popularity in the district,” he added.