SWABI: Former chief minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti has said that Swabi is a stronghold of Awami National Party (ANP) and the party will form the next local government in the district after the sweeping upcoming elections.

He was talking to journalists at the residence of ANP leader and former MNA Haji Rehmanullah (late) at Karnal Sher Kallay on Saturday. Earlier, he offered fateha for the departed soul of Haji Rehmanullah, who passed away on Friday.

In a brief chat with journalists, Mr Hoti tried to avoid discussing political issues. “I came here for condolence of our great leader Haji Rehmanullah. He was our distinguished leader. I used to call him Babajee. I would always remember his love and political farsightedness,” he said.

Mr Hoti paid rich tributes to Haji Rehmanullah and said that he was a great politician and it would be difficult to fill the vacuum, created by his death. “It might be very difficult to fill up the gap in Swabi leadership of the party but the ANP leadership has to back his son, former MPA Ameer Rehman,” he said.

Like the ANP leadership, he said, the people of the district should also remember the contribution and the sacrifices rendered by Haji Rehmanullah, he said, adding that the people of Swabi should extend complete support to Ameer Rehman.

Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan also visited Haji Rehmanullah’s residence to condole his death.

The governor reached his residence by road, remained there for some time and exchanged views with Rehmanullah’s son Ameer Rehman and his brother Amanullah.

PML-N district president Iftikhar Ahmad and general secretary Dildar Khan accompanied the governor.

ANP general secretary Amal Wali khan also offered fateha for the departed soul of Haji Rehmanullah. Supporting Ameer Rehman, he said that ANP leadership would remember Haji Rehmanullah’s contributions for ever.

Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2015

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