SWABI, Jan 6: The merging of National Awami Party Pakistan into Awami National Party is not possible and the former will forge alliance with other political parties for the forthcoming elections, said insiders to Dawn here on Sunday.

The NAPP leaders said the merging of the two parties had strongly been rejected by a majority of standing committee, executive committee members and other office-bearers at a meeting held in Peshawar on Dec 31, 2001.

The former federal minister and ANP’s leader Azam Hoti held a meeting with NAPP chief, Ajmal Khattak at his residence at Akora Khattak on Dec 11 and called for merging of NAPP into ANP.

After this meeting, it had been predicted that Ajmal Khattak, who remained ANP’s president for two consecutive terms, will return to his previous party along with his followers.

Ajmal Khattak had launched his own party (NAPP) after developing differences with ANP leaders over his meeting with Gen Pervez Musharraf after the overthrow of Nawaz Sharif’s government.

The insiders claimed Azam Hoti had confessed in his talks with Ajmal Khattak that his expulsion from the ANP was not a wise decision and requested for merging his party into ANP but Khattak told him straight that any decision to this effect would have to be taken by the party leaders and workers and he could not take such a step without their consent.

One of them said: “We know the tactics and strategies of the Wali Bagh leaders as we remained among them for a long time. The purpose of seeking NAPP-ANP merger was to weaken our position.”

They said the National Worker Federation and Tehrik-i-Istiqlal had merged and established Qaumi Jamhoori Party. The two parties, they said, wanted NAPP to become their partner “but our leaders were neither ready to change the name of the party nor the flag. These two reasons prevented NAPP from merging into QJP.”

The NAPP will enter into alliance with other political parties but will never compromise on its name and flag, they said emphatically. The independent position of the party will be shielded and vigorous efforts launched for strengthening of its ranks.

They said Millat Party chief Farooq Ahmad Khan Laghari and Sikander Sherpao had also visited Akora Khattak and held talks with Ajmal Khattak on the prevailing situation in the region and forthcoming general elections in the country.

They predicted the ANP will test a worst defeat in its stronghold in the elections as its all key leaders had said adieu to it and now it was confronting a leadership dilemma in district Swabi.