PTI’s newly appointed provincial organiser refuses to assume responsibility

Says he is ‘preoccupied with his personal matters and is not able to perform the tasks assigned

HARIPUR: The newly appointed organiser of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has refused to take-over citing personal reasons.

Speaking to the media on Sunday, Yousuf Ayub Khan, who was assigned the duty only hours before, said he is ‘preoccupied with his personal matters and was not able to perform the tasks handed-over to him’.

He, however, thanked Imran Khan, the party’s chairman for reposing confidence in him and asked him to choose another person for the job.

Later, Yousuf's personal secretary confirmed that he had ‘made the refusal for personal reasons’.

Read: Rejig ordered Imran dissolves PTI offices

On Saturday, PTI chairman dissolved all existing positions in the party and appointed provincial organisers and deputy organisers in all four provinces to introduce an interim setup.

He also announced to appoint organisers on a district level on the recommendations of provincial organisers.

Yousuf Ayub Khan the grandson of former president Field Marshal Ayub Khan was elected from PK 50 constituency on PTI ticket during general elections in 2013 and served as provincial minister for the construction and works department (C&W).

He was disqualified last year after the Supreme Court ruled against him in light of Article 62 and 63 on a plea by rival candidate Qazi Muhammad Asad Khan, belonging to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and former speaker provincial assembly Major (retd) Habibullah Khan.

Read: Imran Khan dissolves party offices, announces interim administrative setup

After disqualification, Yousuf’s younger brother Akbar Ayub Khan was elected from the same constituency in the by-elections and appointed as adviser to Chief Minister K-P on C&W.

It is noteworthy that the PTI has been facing internal bickering for the last over two years in Hazara division and the recent exercise of allotment of tickets for Local Bodies elections has further deepened the differences in the party ranks.