Party manoeuvring: Saifullah takes charge as PPP president in K-P
PPP is likely to tap Humayun Khan as its next provincial general secretary.
PESHAWAR:
With general elections around the corner, Anwar Saifullah Khan took charge on Monday as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa president of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), putting an end to months of uncertainty among party workers.
Talking to The Express Tribune, provincial spokesman for the PPP Syed Ayub Shah said that an official notification on Saifullah’s elevation to the highest party office in the province was issued on Sunday evening in Islamabad.
He said that the newly appointed provincial president was expected to arrive in Peshawar during the coming few days to organise the provincial chapter. A scion of the influential Saifullah family hailing from Lakki Marwat, the new provincial president is an existing member of the provincial assembly on a PPP ticket.
Speculation on Saifullah’s nomination for the coveted post had been rife in political circles since August, with party insiders expecting the announcement after Eidul Fitr.
The replacement of the provincial president, barely five months before elections, was brought about in the wake of growing disenchantment against the former provincial president, Senator Sardar Ali Khan.
Accused of ignoring party affairs and running the provincial chapter in absentia, the former president faced demonstrations by disgruntled workers last year, including his provincial general secretary Dost Mohammad Khan, who openly opposed the former president for his lack of interest in party affairs.
Party insiders told The Express Tribune that most workers were so far satisfied at Saifullah’s appointment, despite him being a relatively new entrant in the party. He said that some senior members of the party may not approve of Saifullah’s elevation but workers wanted a president who could take charge and address their grievances against the Awami National Party (ANP), their coalition partner.
When asked whether workers were satisfied with the appointment, provincial spokesman Shah refused to comment, adding that the new president would reveal his plans for strengthening the party for upcoming elections during his visit to Peshawar.
After the appointment of Saifullah, sources revealed that the provincial finance minister, Engineer Humayun Khan, was being tipped for the post of provincial party general secretary and his appointment would be announced in the coming few days.
Khan, like his predecessor. belongs to the Malakand division and his possible appointment would demonstrate the PPP’s intent on securing a good position in the division during the upcoming elections.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 2nd, 2012.
With general elections around the corner, Anwar Saifullah Khan took charge on Monday as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa president of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), putting an end to months of uncertainty among party workers.
Talking to The Express Tribune, provincial spokesman for the PPP Syed Ayub Shah said that an official notification on Saifullah’s elevation to the highest party office in the province was issued on Sunday evening in Islamabad.
He said that the newly appointed provincial president was expected to arrive in Peshawar during the coming few days to organise the provincial chapter. A scion of the influential Saifullah family hailing from Lakki Marwat, the new provincial president is an existing member of the provincial assembly on a PPP ticket.
Speculation on Saifullah’s nomination for the coveted post had been rife in political circles since August, with party insiders expecting the announcement after Eidul Fitr.
The replacement of the provincial president, barely five months before elections, was brought about in the wake of growing disenchantment against the former provincial president, Senator Sardar Ali Khan.
Accused of ignoring party affairs and running the provincial chapter in absentia, the former president faced demonstrations by disgruntled workers last year, including his provincial general secretary Dost Mohammad Khan, who openly opposed the former president for his lack of interest in party affairs.
Party insiders told The Express Tribune that most workers were so far satisfied at Saifullah’s appointment, despite him being a relatively new entrant in the party. He said that some senior members of the party may not approve of Saifullah’s elevation but workers wanted a president who could take charge and address their grievances against the Awami National Party (ANP), their coalition partner.
When asked whether workers were satisfied with the appointment, provincial spokesman Shah refused to comment, adding that the new president would reveal his plans for strengthening the party for upcoming elections during his visit to Peshawar.
After the appointment of Saifullah, sources revealed that the provincial finance minister, Engineer Humayun Khan, was being tipped for the post of provincial party general secretary and his appointment would be announced in the coming few days.
Khan, like his predecessor. belongs to the Malakand division and his possible appointment would demonstrate the PPP’s intent on securing a good position in the division during the upcoming elections.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 2nd, 2012.