The weakest link: PML-N leader, VC at loggerheads

SHABQADAR: The Charsadda district president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has suspended the membership of the party’s vice president over his alleged involvement in corruption within a federal government department. Both the party members have registered reports of misbehaviour against each other at Charsadda city police station.

PML-N Charsadda President Humayun Shah Kakakhel told the media he suspended PML-N Charsadda Vice President Ramzan Khan because the latter misused the party’s portfolio. Humayun Shah said subsequently Ramzan’s son initiated propaganda against him on social media. “When I, along with my friend, went to Ramzan’s hujra to talk about his son’s behaviour, Ramzan pointed a pistol at us and threatened us – we filed a case with the police,” Humayun Shah said. Humayun Shah added Ramzan always said he was nominated by the governor. As a result, he blackmailed the federal government in the name of the governor and the party.

The flip side

However, Ramzan refused the claims of misbehaving with Humayun Shah. “The district president has suspended my membership although he does not have the right to do so,” Ramzan said. “After that, he came to my hujra and threatened my family in our house – I could have retaliated but did not do so as we cannot say a word to even our opponent in our hujra.”

PML-N was once a powerful political force in Charsadda during the time when Lala Nisar Muhammad Khan’s family was part of it. However, the statesman’s family jumped ship and joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

After that, fissures began to emerge in PML-N and it broke into group. The party does not even have a single member in the local government. The brother of PML-N’s Ihsanullah Khan had won the local bodies’ polls as an independent candidate but he subsequently joined Awami National Party.

The local leadership of the party has developed countless differences. As a result, party leaders have joined Qaumi Watan Party, Jamaat-e-Islami and other parties.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 14^th, 2016.