Awami National Party’s (ANP) senior leader from Balochistan Senator Mohammad Daud Khan Achakzai on Sunday indicated that ANP might join hands with Pakhtunkhwa Mili Awami Party (PKMAP) in the upcoming polls. He said his party has urged the government to conduct a census to remove differences over Pushtun and Baloch representation in the Balochistan provincial assembly. He said rising Taliban influence was not just limited to Balochistan but was a phenomenon occurring in all provinces.
In an exclusive interview with Pakistan Today, Achakzai said the ANP had not as yet finalised its strategy for the upcoming general polls in connection with becoming part of any coalition.
Responding to a question, he said the PPP did not have a considerable vote bank in Pushtun areas and his party did not support it normally, adding that seat adjustment could be introduced with PKMAP and dialogues regarding the matter were underway though no final decisions had been made in this regard. Stressing the government to revise and conduct the census in Balochistan again, the ANP senator was of the view that the Pushtun and Baloch leaderships in the province had strong differences over the issue.
The census on the computerised NICs, Achakzai stated, would not take much time but would assist in redressing the growing differences between Pushtuns and Balochs in connection with their representation in the provincial assembly and other key positions. “All things, including the representation of Puhtuns in Parliament and Balochistan Assembly depends upon an independent census. This issue should not be raised on hate grounds. In the Pushtun belt, the population is congested, not spread like that in Baloch areas.
