MARDAN: Former federal minister Azam Khan Hoti, who was recently expelled from the Awami National Party (ANP), would disclose the ‘secret deal’ that the party leaders Asfandyar Wali Khan and Afrasiab Khattak made with the US when their party was in power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and was an ally of the PPP in the federal government, sources close to Azam Hoti told The News on Saturday.
The sources said Azam Hoti, who is brother-in-law of Asfandyar Wali and father of former chief minister Ameer Haider Hoti, would make the revelations at a press conference on Monday.
Sources close to Azam Hoti alleged that Asfandyar Wali received millions of dollars from the US for extending support to it in the so-called ‘war on terror.’
They said Asfandyar Wali visited US several times to hold meetings with senior American officials during the ANP’s five-year rule. Azam Hoti, the sources claimed, was aware of these meetings and was opposed to them.
The sources said that Azam Hoti would also make startling disclosures about the property bought by Asfandyar Wali in the last five years. The sources maintained that Asfandyar Wali would soon leave the country.
Haider Hoti has already announced that he will support his maternal uncle Asfandyar Wali instead of his father in the tussle between the two.
Azam Hoti has been publicly speaking against Asfandyar Wali and demanding that he should step down as the ANP head. He has been arguing that Asfandyar Wali was incapable of leading the Pakhtuns.
However, Asfandyar Wali and most other ANP leaders have remained silent despite provocative statements by Azam Hoti. Only former provincial minister and ANP stalwart Mian Iftikhar Hussain responded angrily to Azam Hoti’s accusations and accused him of benefiting during the ANP rule and now turning against it when it wasn’t in power.
The remarks made by Azam Hoti against Asfandyar Wali has caused confusion among the ANP workers, who are wondering as to who is right among the two. However, most party leaders and activists have openly sided with Asfandyar Wali.
The ANP, it may be recalled, issued show-cause notice to Azam Hoti after he began criticising Asfandyar Wali. However, Azam Hoti refused to respond to it as he felt it was issued by an unauthorised party leader, Bashir Matta, in the absence of ANP organisation and was subsequently expelled from the party.
