ANP miserably fails to deliver on its mandate: Hoti

Corruption, poor law and order situation, failure to deliver to the masses coupled with increasing unemployment has dented the popularity of the Awami National Party (ANP).
Regarded as the nationalist political party, which won 38 seats in the 124-seat provincial assembly in 2008 general elections, has 13 seats in the National Assembly, and claims to have fulfilled most of the promises it made in its manifesto.
"The ANP has completely failed to deliver on its mandate to the masses and even its own workers are not satisfied with the performance of the incumbent provincial government," said Khwaja Mohammad Khan Hoti, a dissident member of the ANP and member National Assembly, who comes from the clan of the Chief Minister of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, Amir Haider Khan Hoti.
Talking to Business Recorder, Hoti said that the poor performance of the government in the province has painted a bad picture, which will be the main hurdle for the ANP to retain the current representation in the provincial assembly as well in the centre in any future elections.
Hoti was elected on the ANP ticket from Mardan city, and even though he lost his party's membership for violation of discipline, he still enjoys popularity in his own constituency. He challenged the Chief Minister saying that he would not able to contest the next general elections from his home city. Citing alleged corruption of the government in the distribution of Watan cards among the flood affected people, Hoti accused the provincial government of distributing assistance under the watan cards for flood victims on political grounds. Cards were distributed in some areas which were not even affected by floods, he alleged, and added that genuine flood victims are still waiting to get relief.
"People are crippled by loadshedding, inflation and unemployment is on the rise while the government is busy in corruption," he alleged, adding that contracts for developments schemes are being awarded to their blue-eyed boys.
Hoti accused ANP chief Asfandyar Wali of never having visited his own constituency following a bomb blast at his Hujra in Charsadda. "The person, who claims to be the leader of Pakhtuns, has permanently made Islamabad his residence," he said, and asked on what grounds he (Asfandyar) would seek votes from the masses in the next general elections.
Hoti further opined that it was most likely that religious parties as well as Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) would get most of the ANP seats if the elections were free and fair.
However, when approached, ANP's central secretary information Senator Zahid Khan dispelled the impression of poor performance of ANP government in the province, claiming that the ANP government had fulfilled all its promises made in the general elections of 2008 to the masses.
He said that the ANP renamed the province, succeeded in getting a NFC award that benefited KP, fought for provincial autonomy and barred construction of the Kalabagh Dam. "ANP has rendered countless sacrifices in the ongoing war against terrorism and many of its workers lost their lives but did not compromise on national interest," he maintained.
He said that the provincial government would conduct an inquiry in the alleged embezzlements in Watan cards distribution among the flood affected people. To charges of corruption, he said that provincial government was ready to face independent courts if any body wants to take them to court. He admitted that masses suffered due to load shedding but added that it was a federal subject not provincial.
The ANP leader said that in spite of challenges, his party's government has undertaken record development works and would contest the next elections on the basis of its good performance. He further claimed that the ANP would retain its current seats in the next polls.