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National Democratic Party (Pakistan)


The Wali Khan faction of the National Awami Party was formed after the 1967 split in the original NAP between Maulana Bhashani and Khan Wali Khan. The Wali Khan faction was later named National Awami Party (NAP) after the separation of East Pakistan.

The NAP was banned twice during its eight-year-long existence, the first time under Yahya Khans government in 1971 and the second time in 1975 by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's government. It was then resurrected under the name National Democratic Party, from which in turn was formed the Awami National Party.

The Party represented left wing views in Pakistan and its core politics was based on the disbanding of the One Unit, restoration of adult franchise (1967–1970), land reforms, protection of tenants' rights, redistribution of wealth through nationalisation, Pakistan becoming a weak confederacy as well as the holding of fair elections, protection of an independent judiciary and freedom of the press. It contested the 1970 election, winning the second largest number of seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the largest in Baluchistan, and a handful of seats in East Pakistan's provincial assembly. It failed to win any seats in Punjab and Sindh.

After the division of Pakistan in 1971, NAP formed coalition governments in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan on the basis of winning majority of seats in the two provinces. Arbab Sikandar Khan was appointed Governor of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Ghaus Bux Bizenjo Governor of Balochistan. Sardar Akhtar Mengal was elected the first Chief Minister of Balochistan and the NAP supported Mufti Mahmud of the JUI as Chief Minister of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The party was disbanded in 1975 amidst a government crackdown. It was resurrected in 1976 under the National Democratic Party under Sherbaz Mazari but split in 1979 following disagreements amongst the left wing of the party against the leadership. A brief attempt was made to resurrect the Party by Ajmal Khattak under the name National Awami Party of Pakistan in 2000, however the party was routed in the 2002 election and much of its leadership merged back with the ANP.


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