Shifting alliances: Another politician jumps ship for a ticket to the parliament
Veteran politician Saleemur Rehman quits PPP, joins PTI.
PPP politician Saleemur Rehman joins PTI. PHOTO: FILE
KHWAZAKHELA:
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lost another veteran politician on Sunday when Saleemur Rehman joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Rehman made the announcement at a press conference held at the Swat Press Club on Sunday.
He said his family was associated with the party for the past 44 years. During this period his father also laid the foundation of PPP’s Swat chapter and later worked to strengthen it.“But the current leadership ignored me in the distribution of tickets,” he said. Rehman has also served as the district president of the PPP in Swat.
According to sources in the PTI, the new member is being given a ticket for NA-30 by the PTI’s parliamentary board.
“He is very popular in Khwazakhela area and has a huge vote bank there. He can win a seat from the constituency, which may be fatal for the PPP in Swat,” said Amjad Khan, a political observer.
Rehman is the son of former district nazim and federal and provincial minister late Dr Mehboobur Rahman, who was a close ally of PPP founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.
Almost all mainstream political parties have faced internal conflicts over the distribution of tickets in Swat.
At the end of last month, PTI chief Imran Khan held a rally in Swat as part of his election campaign. He said if their party comes into power it will ensure peace in Swat and Wazirstan according to the wishes of its residents. “The justice system before 1974 will be restored in Swat. Village-level justice system will be introduced,” he said, while addressing a large gathering at Grassy Ground in Mingora.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 15th, 2013.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lost another veteran politician on Sunday when Saleemur Rehman joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Rehman made the announcement at a press conference held at the Swat Press Club on Sunday.
He said his family was associated with the party for the past 44 years. During this period his father also laid the foundation of PPP’s Swat chapter and later worked to strengthen it.“But the current leadership ignored me in the distribution of tickets,” he said. Rehman has also served as the district president of the PPP in Swat.
According to sources in the PTI, the new member is being given a ticket for NA-30 by the PTI’s parliamentary board.
“He is very popular in Khwazakhela area and has a huge vote bank there. He can win a seat from the constituency, which may be fatal for the PPP in Swat,” said Amjad Khan, a political observer.
Rehman is the son of former district nazim and federal and provincial minister late Dr Mehboobur Rahman, who was a close ally of PPP founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.
Almost all mainstream political parties have faced internal conflicts over the distribution of tickets in Swat.
At the end of last month, PTI chief Imran Khan held a rally in Swat as part of his election campaign. He said if their party comes into power it will ensure peace in Swat and Wazirstan according to the wishes of its residents. “The justice system before 1974 will be restored in Swat. Village-level justice system will be introduced,” he said, while addressing a large gathering at Grassy Ground in Mingora.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 15th, 2013.