PESHAWAR, Dec 1: Awami National Party has said that Begum Nasim Wali Khan is no longer associated with the party as she in connivance with her brother Azam Hoti is hatching conspiracies against ANP leadership.

It was unfortunate that Begum Nasim launched a propaganda campaign against the party leadership without any reason, ANP interim president Haji Mohammad Adeel told a crowded press conference here on Sunday.

Flanked by ANP leaders Mian Iftikhar Hussain, MNA Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour, Tajuddin Khan, Bashir Matta and Ilyas Bilour, he said that the party received a setback in the May 11 general elections and as a punishment all its organisations were dissolved.

Haji Adeel dispelled the notion of grouping in ANP and said that the party was united under the leadership of Asfandyar Wali Khan.

Speaking on the occasion, Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that there was no issue in ANP but some people were giving another colour to family matters that was sheer injustice with the party.

He said that both the brother and sister (Azam Hoti and Begum Nasim) were bent upon damaging the party but the workers would not let them do so.

Mr Hussain said that keeping in view the negative attitude of Azam Hoti, the party had already sacked him and he was morally bound to tender resignation from his Senate seat because he could not represent the party in the upper house of the parlia-ment.

The workers held Begum Nasim in high esteem due to her status as widow of Abdul Wali Khan but she herself announced dissociation with the party so she did not belong to ANP any longer, he added.

Mr Hussain rejected the contention of Begum Nasim Wali about suspension of membership drive and convening a jirga of ANP workers to elect new office-bearers and described it totally wrong.

She had her own agenda, which was clear from her intentions to announce names of party office-bearers on her own, he said.

He added that workers wouldn`t pay attention to her as she had no association with ANP.

Mr Hussain said that family disputes were not a new thing but such matters should not be given political colour to make them public throughmedia.

The rest of ANP workers, he said, had no right to comment on the family matters. `One thing is clear that in these differences Begum Nasim Wali has clearly supported Azam Hoti while Ameer Haider Khan Hoti has backed his mother and always reposed confidence in the leadership of Asfandyar Wali Khan and is also an effective MNA of the party,` he added.

Mr Hussain said that ANP was united in the leadership of Asfandyar Wali Khan, who was political heir of Bacha Khan and Wali Khan. ANP and Asfandyar Wali Khan were essential for each other and could not be separated.

The allegations levelled against ANP and Asfandyar Wali Khan, he said, were totally baseless.

On the occasion, Haji Adeel announced a two-month extension in the party`s membership drive.