Pakhtoonkhawa issue has a lot of historical baggage, and your assessment is correctly based on that baggage.
ANP was one of the main propoents of this issue. and based on ANP leadership (or parents of this leadership)'s role, Pakhtoonkhawa issue was linked with anti-Pakistan or at least anti-non-Pashtun.
However times have changed.
ANP and Pashtun nationalists have turned out to be the saviors of Pakistan in the recent debacle with Talibots.
Thus we should give the Pashtun nationalists a lot more than just the name. Instead of questioning their loyalty, we should given all of them Hilale Pakistan.
Federal government should wave taxes for Peshawar and Swat area for few years.
And the rest of the country should send flowers and thank you notes to the residents of Peshawar.
That’s the only way, as a nation, we can say “Thank you” the residents of Pakhtunkhawa, you are the true patriots.
p.s.
However while we are at, we must remove the status of FATA. It is not good to keep the people there under draconian yoke of tribalism and jahiliya. It is unfair to them, and unfair to Pakistan. We cannot and should not have lawless areas if we think they are our brothers and fellow Pakistanis.