The ANP and sucking up to the Punjabi golf club Generals

[Levanaye Zalmaye]

The fact that now the top ANP leadership is using the deep state discourse that ‘Pakhtunises’ terrorism in Pakistan shows how the deep state is in command of Pakistan. This fact also demonstrates how much the ANP has debased itself to appease the establishment in order to survive in politics. The ANP appears to have become a B-team of the security establishment such that it is not merely silently complicit, but also approves vocally the establishment’s terrorism-nurturing policies. This is a not a good sign for the people of Pakistan because it implies that there is no civilian leadership (the PPP is as hopeless as the ANP) that can resist the anti-people agenda of the Pakistani generals. This means that the outside world, including the US, will be constrained to engage with the India-centric and Afghanistan-obsessed military establishment of Pakistan rather than with the civilian leadership on the security issues that most adversely affect the people rather than the Generals of Pakistan.

The ANP and revenge attacks —Farhat Taj


People thought that by winning the 2008 elections, the ANP would further the cause of Pashtun nationalism. It seems as though the opposite has happened. ANP needs a leadership change. The entire top shelf needs to be cleaned.

[Michin Khel]

I believe ANP has still hidden separatist agenda but they are careful, waiting for appropiate time and are taking steps in accordance with situation and ground realities..dont underestimate ANPites, they are clever ones...ground reality is that lar pashtuns are following ideology of pakistan, ANP is first trying to establish base of pashtun nationalism in pashtun population by including pashto subject in the schools, children will be taught about pashtun history and personalities...they are also calculating their possible friends and help from them in case they had to take extreme measures and are also calculating the risk and consequences of going to that extent..
They have fully plunged into pakistani politics because "motherland" is in ruins and is competing with somalia...they have to counter extremism in pashtun society as well as they have stabilzed themeselves within pakhtunkhwa, because in case pakistan disintegrates, chances are pakhtunkhwa would go into hands of religous militants, and it would become another afghanistan...Pashtun nationalism is weak in pakistan because afghanistan is weak. If afghanistan was atleast as strong as pakistan then situation would have been different...It is easy to blame ANP but difficult to understand their difficulties.

[tor_khan]

If the ANP were more vocal nationalists what would (1) the public/media reaction be and (2) more importantly the general Pashtun reaction be?

The last ANP wallah I sat with - a small time activist - left me feeling a bit depressed at the pro Pak army, anti Afghan ("because of they were 'Persianised' and pro India") mentality.

[Soldat_Amir]

Tor Khan

This is what happens when you get involved in Pakistani politics, it poisons you and the ANP are no exception.

ANP are not nationalists, they are Representatives of the Pakistani minorities.

However, I respect them for their work they have done for the Pashtuns i.e renaming the province and keeping secularism in tact to avoid the region becoming a Talib frenzy.

Deera Manana.

[emkhan]

There are only two parties that are such united and determined, one is MQM and the other one JI . These two MQM and JI are the strongest, most sincere to their ideology, hard working, middle and lower classed representation they have, There are no corruption cases on a single party member of these two parties. They are very strict to their manifestos and they do what they claim.
At the other hand ANP is a bunch of elite class families from every village and every city.
Their MNAs, MPAs and senators are as idle as a snail.
They never followed their manifesto wholly and exclusively.
There are many corruption cases on ANP members.
ANP is a secular party which never represent their voters.
and now ANP is playing in the hands of agencies which totally opposite to their ideology.

[graveyardofempires]

Farhat taj = LOL

[graveyardofempires]

you forgot Anderson

[Soldat_Amir]

JI hard working?

[emkhan]

JI hard working?

You ignored the whole post and your devilish mind picked up this one point, anyhow YES they are hard working when it comes to social work and organising their party workers and achieving their goals.
They have their chain of social works in different ways throughout the country.
Though I am the strongest opponent of MQM but I admire their sincerity with their people and the hard work that they do in their constituency.

[Levanaye Zalmaye]

Though I am the strongest opponent of MQM but I admire their sincerity with their people and the hard work that they do in their constituency.

The Mohajirs living in MQM areas are life-long hostages to the MQM's units and sectors. Everything from the hides of their Eid animals to their annual Zakat is collected by armed MQM workers from them. Those who resist pay a very heavy price indeed.

Farhat taj = LOL

"Daa maa gorai che sok wayii, da gorai che sa wayii" - Ali ibn Abu Talib

Incidentally, had you cared to read even two lines from that article, she is criticizing the ANP, which, I thought, is something you'd agree with. Kho mala sarray ye, tal da malayano ghwanday chaghay wahay ao da aql khabaray kamay kayy.

If the ANP were more vocal nationalists what would (1) the public/media reaction be and (2) more importantly the general Pashtun reaction be?

The last ANP wallah I sat with - a small time activist - left me feeling a bit depressed at the pro Pak army, anti Afghan ("because of they were 'Persianised' and pro India") mentality.

The media here is firmly in the hands of the "Imran Khan" generation of Karachiites and Lahoris. They would've been called Communists, Hindus and KGB agents just like they managed to represent a pious Muslims such as Khan Shaheed as a Hindu in the minds of many Pashtuns. I've met many ANP and PSF activists and trust me, they know how to toe their party line. As for the general population, I've always believed that they don't care for much beyond the price of flour and sugar.

I believe ANP has still hidden separatist agenda but they are careful, waiting for appropiate time and are taking steps in accordance with situation and ground realities..dont underestimate ANPites, they are clever ones...ground reality is that lar pashtuns are following ideology of pakistan, ANP is first trying to establish base of pashtun nationalism in pashtun population by including pashto subject in the schools, children will be taught about pashtun history and personalities...they are also calculating their possible friends and help from them in case they had to take extreme measures and are also calculating the risk and consequences of going to that extent..
They have fully plunged into pakistani politics because "motherland" is in ruins and is competing with somalia...they have to counter extremism in pashtun society as well as they have stabilzed themeselves within pakhtunkhwa, because in case pakistan disintegrates, chances are pakhtunkhwa would go into hands of religous militants, and it would become another afghanistan...Pashtun nationalism is weak in pakistan because afghanistan is weak. If afghanistan was atleast as strong as pakistan then situation would have been different...It is easy to blame ANP but difficult to understand their difficulties.

Thanks for the informative post, Luppy jana. I agree with most of it.

[thegood]

[LyariTown]

i hate anp. the name isnt even pashto, let alone anything else.

[thegood]

There are only two parties that are such united and determined, one is MQM and the other one JI . These two MQM and JI are the strongest, most sincere to their ideology, hard working, middle and lower classed representation they have, There are no corruption cases on a single party member of these two parties. They are very strict to their manifestos and they do what they claim.
At the other hand ANP is a bunch of elite class families from every village and every city.
Their MNAs, MPAs and senators are as idle as a snail.
They never followed their manifesto wholly and exclusively.
There are many corruption cases on ANP members.
ANP is a secular party which never represent their voters.
and now ANP is playing in the hands of agencies which totally opposite to their ideology.

ANP is one of the oldest parties of the subcontinent and is a successor to Khudai Khidmatgars which struggled against British Imperialism and its hier the state of Pakistan and its establishment. It has suffered immemsely at the hands of both. One can mention Babarra massacre and the recent killing of its cadres by terrorists and Taleban. The Pakistani establishment considers it a mortal enemy because it talks of Pashtun rights and has unleashed on it extremist fundamentalist forces like Jumaath-i-Islami and other Islamic fanatical elements. These elements have always served the interests of Pakistani military. The aim of the military is to counter Pashtun nationalism through fundamentalist forces.

If ANP were a corrupt party, who could have paid it more than the Pakistani establishment and its Western backers during the Cold War. The mere fact that ANP was for most of its history in the opposition indicates that ANP was not after corruption and power. Islamic fundamentalist organizations like JI, JUI, for most of their political history on the other hand have supported Pakistan's military and have been backed by Pakistan military. They have always been B-teams of martial laws and dictators. During Afghan war, they i.e. JI and JUI ammassed CIA money and Saudi petro-dollars.

ANP has gotten us rid of terrorism in Swat which destroyed our schools and mosques and oppressed our people.

[thegood]

i hate anp. the name isnt even pashto, let alone anything else.

If Pashto name was a criterian then Taleban had Pashtun names yet were stooges of Pashtuns's adversaries and tried to destroy Pashtun land at the behest of our adversaries.

[thegood]

I believe ANP has still hidden separatist agenda but they are careful, waiting for appropiate time and are taking steps in accordance with situation and ground realities..dont underestimate ANPites, they are clever ones...ground reality is that lar pashtuns are following ideology of pakistan, ANP is first trying to establish base of pashtun nationalism in pashtun population by including pashto subject in the schools, children will be taught about pashtun history and personalities...they are also calculating their possible friends and help from them in case they had to take extreme measures and are also calculating the risk and consequences of going to that extent..
They have fully plunged into pakistani politics because "motherland" is in ruins and is competing with somalia...they have to counter extremism in pashtun society as well as they have stabilzed themeselves within pakhtunkhwa, because in case pakistan disintegrates, chances are pakhtunkhwa would go into hands of religous militants, and it would become another afghanistan...Pashtun nationalism is weak in pakistan because afghanistan is weak. If afghanistan was atleast as strong as pakistan then situation would have been different...It is easy to blame ANP but difficult to understand their difficulties.

I agree with this analysis. ANP leaders are shrewed politicians and what they are doing suggests that they are trying to consolidate their POLITICAL position in KPK.