Commonly known as the NAP, it was a major opposition party to Pakistani military regimes for much of the late 1950s and mid-1960s.

The NAP was regarded by some as a front organization of the Communist Party of Pakistan (CPP) and it faced a harsh crackdown from the Ayub government.

Hasan Nasir, NAP Office Secretary and card-carrying member of the CPP, was tortured to death in custody.

Many of its leaders became members of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party under the leadership of Mashiur Rahman Jadu Mia.

[1] One-Unit in West Pakistan had to be replaced by a "regional confederation where provinces would be created on linguistic lines".

In foreign affairs the Manifesto asked for non-alignment and withdrawal from the military pacts SEATO and CENTO.