PTI flouts its abhorrence for dynastic politics

Tickets awarded to leaders of close family members for general elections

ISLAMABAD: Deviating from its vocal loathing for dynastic politics, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) awarded tickets to close family members of various party leaders to contest election for seats in national and provincial assemblies.

PTI’s ticket distribution raised many an eyebrow. Party’s Vice Chairman Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi is contesting election from NA-156 Multan while his son, Makhdoom Zain Qureshi, has been awarded ticket for NA-157.

Former chief minister Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak is contesting on both National Assembly (NA-25 Nowshera-I) and provincial assembly seats. The PTI also awarded a ticket to his nephew and son-in-law Imran Khattak to contest election from NA-26 Nowshera-II.

Muhammad Aslam Ghumman got a party ticket for himself from NA-76 Sialkot-V while two of his brothers are contesting for provincial assembly seats: Umar Shahzad Ghumman would contest election from PP-44 and Azeem Ghumman from PP-43.



Sardar Zulfikar Khan Khosa, who recently joined the PTI, got a party ticket for NA-190 Dera Ghazi Khan-II while his son Saif Khosa would be contesting on a PTI ticket from PP-288.

Muhammad Ahmad Chattha is contesting election from NA-79 Gujranwala-I while one of his close relatives, Nomanullah Chattha, is contesting election for a provincial assembly seat.

Ali Khan Jadoon was awarded a PTI ticket to contest election from NA-16 Abbottabad-II. Jadoon is the son of another PTI leader Amanullah Jadoon.

Renowned politician Air Marshal (retd) Asghar Khan’s son Ali Asghar Khan was awarded ticket by the PTI to contest election from NA-15.

Omar Ayub Khan, son of Gohar Ayub Khan, secured PTI’s ticket for NA-17 Haripur seat while his brother Akbar Ayub got PTI’s ticket for contesting on a provincial assembly seat. Both are heirs of Gen (retd) Ayub Khan, Pakistan’s first chief martial law administrator.

Another electable, Liaquat Jatoi, who is from Sindh, got a PTI ticket from NA-234 Dadu-I while Karim Khan Jatoi secured party’s ticket from NA-235 Dadu-II.



Business tycoon Jahangir Khan Tareen stands disqualified by the Supreme Court, but his son Ali Tareen is likely to be awarded a ticket for NA-172 Lodhran.

PTI leaders vocally advocate a clear affinity for democracy, but the party’s hierarchy looks more like a monarchy when it comes to awarding election tickets.

Icons of major families, who have been ruling the country since its inception, have been successful in securing PTI’s tickets for the July 25 general election.