Awami National Party’s Aimal Wali Khan has described PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz’s statement pertaining to Hazara province as an attempt to “divide” Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“I don’t know why Maryam Nawaz said that. She must resist giving such a statement,” he told Aaj News. “Similar attempts made in the past have also failed.”

Maryam while addressing a workers’ convention in Abbottabad on Thursday said that the people of KP would get a Hazara province but that was only possible if the PML-N gets a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly.

According to Khan, the PML-N and the PTI had made similar attempts in 2014 and 2022. He added that the party has always opposed such moves.

He went on to add that politicians should be careful in giving their statements, especially in the “ongoing circumstances”.

Khan wondered how one could make an area comprising more than two districts a province. “I cannot fathom one can. You [PML-N] have targeted an area in the province,” he said and added the whole province was united.

The ANP leader also took to Twitter to express his objection to the announcement.

“In the current situation of the country, talking like this for political point scoring can harm the alliance. Pakhtunkhwa is a small province and Punjab is the biggest province of the country,” he said and reminded the N-league that the promise of making South Punjab a province should be fulfilled.

“Friends of PTI should also clarify their position instead of enjoying such political announcements because PTI and PML-N are on the same page on the issue of division of Pakhtunkhwa,” he said.