PHOTO: APP
PESHAWAR: Disgruntled Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz members in the province are now joined by those aligned with the federal government in decrying the party’s status in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. They too share concerns regarding the Centre ignoring K-P.
Party Bachao movement
In 2015, unhappy PML-N workers from 17 districts launched a movement called Party Bachao (save the party). They asked the central leadership to take notice of issues faced by PML-N in K-P. Reports emerged about certain PML-N workers painting a rosy picture of K-P and the party’s status there – contrary to ground realities. Disgruntled workers were worried; with the Centre side-lining the PML-N K-P chapter, party members were jumping ship and the party leadership would be hard-pressed to find candidates for the next general elections.
Earlier, PML-N K-P Senior Vice President Waqif Khan told The Express Tribune, “The party is at a stage where it will be difficult for the central leadership to find candidates for the 2018 elections.” The workers had criticised Governor Mehtab Ahmad Khan, Senator Iqbal Zafar Jaghra and Adviser to the Prime Minister Amir Muqam, accusing them of not conveying their message to the central leadership.
Persisting problem
“[The Centre] should open its eyes and not concentrate on Punjab only. It is not like PML-N does not have any followers in K-P,” Amanullah Khan, PML-N provincial senior vice president told The Express Tribune. “The number of PML-N voters in 2013 general elections saw an increase of about 0.6 million people when compared to the 2008 general elections,” he added.
He said even in a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) stronghold like Town-IV, PML-N won most of the seats, including the coveted nazim’s slot. “If they do not give importance to other parts of the province, they should at least give some attention to Town-IV.”
Amanullah said workers visited the Centre but returned empty-handed as it was clear K-P was not going to get any attention.
“Who should we complain to since everyone has been neglecting us, including the governor Amanullah said. “PML-N is not a democratic party.”
The senior vice president added, “Muqam has been trying his level best to solve issues in K-P but he has also failed so far.” The federal government should make Muqam in charge of a few departments since he has always been in favour of developing K-P and “has done a lot for the province in the past,” Amanullah added.
PML-N Peshawar general secretary Haji Sifatullah, who is the father of Town-IV nazim Haroon Sifatullah, said it was true the Centre was neglecting K-P and disgruntled PML-N workers made attempts to reach out to those in power. “But, it did not get any positive results,” he added.
Haji Sifatullah said in 2015, disgruntled workers had decided to quit in protest and send their resignations to Muqam so he could speak up for the rights of Pukhtuns. “It was decided if even then party members felt Jhagra and Muqam, who are also from K-P, cannot succeed in convincing the Centre, then they will be asked to join the protest and resign as well,” he added.
In the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), the PML-N leadership also remains concerned. PML-N Fata President Faqeer Muhammad Afridi said though the K-P governor took oath some three years ago, he has not been allowed to enter the region since then.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 29th, 2016.
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