PTI expels QWP from coalition in K-P

Says Sherpao’s party did not support stance on Panamagate case

PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has thrown the Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) out of the coalition government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa for “not supporting its stance on the Panamagate case”.

“Coalition with the QWP has ended as it did not support our stance on the Panama Papers case against the Sharif family,” said PTI’s provincial spokesperson Shah Farman while addressing a presser in Islamabad on Saturday.

Flanked by K-P Minister for Revenue Ali Amin Gandapur, Farman revealed that the decision to expel the QWP from the K-P coalition government was taken by party chairman Imran Khan.



Reacting to the PTI move, QWP provincial general secretary Hashim Babar expressed disappointment and said they were not consulted before the decision was taken.

Babar told The Express Tribune that his party had not joined the PTI-led government to support it in its individual political activity, but to help resolve people’s problems, work for the rights of Pashtoons, and push for merger of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas with K-P.

“It had been decided that the Supreme Court decision on the Panamagate case would be accepted by everyone,” he said. “Like others, QWP chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao also accepted the decision and shared his views on the media.”

He said that the QWP had called a meeting on Sunday (today) at Watan Kor in Peshawar to decide their future strategy.



The QWP had joined the K-P government after the May 2013 general elections.

On November 9, 2013, the PTI chief expelled two QWP ministers – Bakht Badar, minister for industries and labour, and Abrar Tanoli, minister for forests – for their alleged involvement in corruption.

However, on August 8, 2015, the QWP rejoined the PTI and signed a seven-point agreement to share power in the province. According to the agreement, both parties had mutually agreed to enter into an open-ended coalition and strategic partnership.

The agreement had been signed in Islamabad by K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and QWP parliamentary leader in the provincial assembly Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao.

But this time around, the provincial spokesperson announced the decision in Islamabad in the absence of the K-P chief minister.

QWP MPA Maraj Humayun told The Express Tribune that they were unaware of the PTI’s decision till the last as they had not been consulted.

However, a senior PTI leader told this correspondent on condition of anonymity that for the last several days, the two parties had been divided over some issues.

He did not disclose the issues, but said that the PTI had been divided into two groups – one led by K-P Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Muhammad Atif and K-P Health Minister Sharam Khan, while the other by the K-P chief minister.

The PTI leader claimed that the PTI’s internal rift also played a crucial role in the separation of both the parties.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has thrown the Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) out of the coalition government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa for “not supporting its stance on the Panamagate case”.

“Coalition with the QWP has ended as it did not support our stance on the Panama Papers case against the Sharif family,” said PTI’s provincial spokesperson Shah Farman while addressing a presser in Islamabad on Saturday.

Flanked by K-P Minister for Revenue Ali Amin Gandapur, Farman revealed that the decision to expel the QWP from the K-P coalition government was taken by party chairman Imran Khan.

Reacting to the PTI move, QWP provincial general secretary Hashim Babar expressed disappointment and said they were not consulted before the decision was taken.

Babar told The Express Tribune that his party had not joined the PTI-led government to support it in its individual political activity, but to help resolve people’s problems, work for the rights of Pashtoons, and push for merger of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas with K-P.

“It had been decided that the Supreme Court decision on the Panamagate case would be accepted by everyone,” he said. “Like others, QWP chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao also accepted the decision and shared his views on the media.”

He said that the QWP had called a meeting on Sunday (today) at Watan Kor in Peshawar to decide their future strategy.

The QWP had joined the K-P government after the May 2013 general elections.

On November 9, 2013, the PTI chief expelled two QWP ministers – Bakht Badar, minister for industries and labour, and Abrar Tanoli, minister for forests – for their alleged involvement in corruption.



However, on August 8, 2015, the QWP rejoined the PTI and signed a seven-point agreement to share power in the province. According to the agreement, both parties had mutually agreed to enter into an open-ended coalition and strategic partnership.

The agreement had been signed in Islamabad by K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and QWP parliamentary leader in the provincial assembly Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao.

But this time around, the provincial spokesperson announced the decision in Islamabad in the absence of the K-P chief minister.

QWP MPA Maraj Humayun told The Express Tribune that they were unaware of the PTI’s decision till the last as they had not been consulted.

However, a senior PTI leader told this correspondent on condition of anonymity that for the last several days, the two parties had been divided over some issues.

He did not disclose the issues, but said that the PTI had been divided into two groups – one led by K-P Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Muhammad Atif and K-P Health Minister Sharam Khan, while the other by the K-P chief minister.

The PTI leader claimed that the PTI’s internal rift also played a crucial role in the separation of both the parties.