What had gotten the ANP in such a rut that they joined forces with the coalition? They vowed their alliance, if and only if the coalition promised to break the ISI, if not break then at least weaken from within. ANP had organized a rally for their party, what they had also organized was manslaughter of their own people. Because of ANP’s rather limited size and influence over the people of Pakistan, ANP was artfully meshed into the background yet with full privileges.

By Rakiah Owais
Wednesday, August 20 – 2008

We all know why PPP and PML-N joined forces (even though it was the most excruciating and repugnant decision they ever must have had to make); to bring about the fall of the Great Titan Musharraf. But what was that shinny, glittery thing in the corner that lured the ANP to the coalition? Because, surely, Musharraf hadn’t wronged them nearly as enough as he had done the PPP and PML-N, I mean after all, Musharraf did over throw Nawaz; and Nawaz knew that if he were to take revenge of his humiliation of 9 years ago, he would need the PPP at his side. Thus enter, the PPP.

But what had gotten the ANP in such a rut that they joined forces with the coalition? Why were they so eager to see the back of the Titan? Because, what a cliché, as per tradition for the Pakistani Politics, simply for Revenge.

But of course, the ANP had its own agenda. They vowed their alliance, if and only if the coalition promised to break the ISI, if not break then at least weaken from within. We all know every political party has their own agendas with the ISI. But why does the ANP detest the ISI?

Pakistan’s premier defense agency – the ISI – has been instrumental in curtailing breakaway elements in Pakistan, such as the ANP who have only recently changed their tone on Pakistan and them being part of it. They had always advocated the frontier province’s annexation to Afghanistan.

To bring light to this question as to why the ANP detests the ISI, I have to state some facts to establish my answer correctly.

- The ANP has seriously severed ties with the MQM.
- Each party has tried/tries to sling mud at each other. They play their own game of monopoly.

So naturally the ANP and the MQM have a special rivalry over the control of Karachi. While ANP is dominant in only a few areas, the ANP and MQM have never been very comfortable with each others presence in the city, for some odd reason.

Now, whatever I mention here is through a certain source, and I am pretty certain that this is true.

I do not know when this event actually took place, but I do know it took place within the period when the coalition was affirmed.

ANP had organized a rally for their party, what they had also organized was manslaughter of their own people. They had hired South African assassinators, who had rented an apartment where they made their plans and had all their weapons.

They had planned to kill a “few” of their own people from the rally to create riot and chaos, later only to pin it on the MQM. MQM would’ve denied of course, but the ANP would’ve retaliated in the name of “Justice” and brought their youth to the streets to fight MQM, resulting in a classical Sectarian clash.

BUT all this was stopped from happening because of the swift and secret working of our ISI. How did my source know all this? His friend owns the building the assassinators had rented the apartment in. The owner of the building was approached by the ISI, a single agent (who claimed to be retired), told him what I just shared with you, and just enough for him to realize that if he gave the “Visitors” any sort of warning, he wont be living a very comfortable life (just to put it in the politest of manners).

Of course the ISI succeeded in dismantling their plans; and THIS is one of ANP’s own party agendas with the ISI and one of the reasons why they joined the “Coalition”.

Because of ANP’s rather limited size and influence over the people of Pakistan, ANP was artfully meshed into the background yet with full privileges.

Rakiah Owais is a Pakistani commentator, she can be reached at [email withheld for privacy].