Disappointed by ANP: Nawabzada Salahud Din likely to join PTI

A relative cites the possibility of him contesting as an independent candidate.

MANSEHRA:

Nawabzada Salahud Din, the grandson of Nawab Muhammad Farid Khan, is desperate for a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ticket after being disappointed with the Awami National Party, said a source familiar with the matter.

Salahud Din joined ANP during a public meeting at Shergarh Manshera on July 11 last year. Habib ur Rehman Tanoli, the former provincial revenue minister, also announced his decision to join ANP at the meeting.

Salahud Din, who was lobbying for the creation of Tanawal district, was promised by then Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) chief minister Amir Haider Hoti that a new district will be carved out if he joins the party. Hoti had said this knowing that ANP has a nominal vote bank in the Pakhtun areas of Hazara.

But despite Hoti’s announcement, the Tanawal district never became a reality, leaving Salahud Din disappointed and reducing his political space. Tanoli also quit the ANP after the Tanawal district was not realised.

To save his political career, Salahud Din used his political connections and princely clout for later obtaining a notification for the formation of Tanawal district. This, however, would not be possible administratively without a consensus.

Salahud Din was pushing the ANP to establish a presence in a district that had always opposed the party. He finally turned to the PTI leadership after the Gul brothers from Torghar switched from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) to PTI.

Former Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) MPA Zar Gul Khan, and another MPA, Zarin Gul, are expected to be fielded by the PTI from NA-21 and PK-58 Mansehra.

A close relative of Salahud Din said he would not rule out the possibility of the latter contesting elections as an independent candidate.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 24^th, 2013.