Sanaullah, another PTI activist, said Imran promised to make Peshawar a model city. PHOTO: FILE
Awami National Party (ANP) Senior Vice President Ghulam Ahmad Bilour expressed shock over Khan’s decision. “His decision of leaving the seat is not fair; the people posed confidence in his leadership, he should have served them,” he told Express News.
Claiming he was deliberately kept out of Parliament through a well thought out conspiracy, Bilour further added he would not be contesting from the constituency in the by-elections.
ANP’s Provincial General Secretary Arbab Tahir told The Express Tribune the people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa gave his (Imran’s) party a heavy mandate. “His decision shows the PTI is a one-man show.”
Tahir claimed the PTI received votes by making the people emotional and now it was not respecting the people’s wishes and expectations. “The ANP’s central and provincial executive committee meetings will be convened to chalk out a line of action and being a democratic party we will take part in the by-election for NA-1,” added Tahir.
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Secretary Information Israrullah Advocate termed Imran’s withdrawal a personal decision, adding the JI had not decided if it will be contesting by-elections or not. “We are only concentrating on the formation of the government and for that purpose we are in talks with the PTI leadership.”
The information secretary said both the parties have the same agenda: to rebuild war-affected infrastructure, create jobs for the youth and end corruption.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Secretary Information Jalil Jan claimed it was already known in the political circles that Imran would leave the seat. The JUI-F will hold meetings to decide its candidate for the by-election, he added.
Meanwhile, PTI activist Ghulam Murtaza expressed amazement at Imran’s decision. “We worked tirelessly for the party’s win, it is shocking to us. We do not accept this decision, it seems like a unilateral decision against the youth’s expectations,” he said.
Sanaullah, another PTI activist, said Imran promised to make Peshawar a model city. “We are very disappointed, our dreams are shattered. We do not trust any other candidate except Imran,” he stated.
Constitutionally, a candidate who wins multiple seats is bound to take oath for either a National Assembly or a provincial assembly seat while the rest of the seats automatically fall vacant. The Election Commission of Pakistan then conducts a by-election for these seats.
Imran’s historic NA-1 win came after he defeated veteran ANP leader Ghulam Ahmad Bilour.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 16th, 2013.
COMMENTS (5)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Its a good decision, if you look at the other seats in which IK has won, NA-56 is the only one which can be at risk because of high influence on Hanif Abbasi and PML-N government. Peshawer and Mianwali are the seats which would be won by PTI in by elections too because of the people support. Please act in the best interest of party and Pakistan.
That's a very good decision. If he had chosen NA1, PTI was in danger of losing both Punjab seats to PMLN's government. Now its a small risk at NA71 but i hope Ayla Malik should win that too.
ANP & other political parties in KPK have no right to criticize IK on vacating pa1 seat,but, old habits don't go so soon.Political culture developed over the past 65 years will have to be changed if we want to have a stable political system in the country.
Well Done, ET. This is to make a mountain of a molehill. All politicians have left multiple seats. Will you report what people in Sargodah say after Nawaz Sharif left that seat or it does not matter because Imran is so popular that every constituency want him to be thier MNA.
He had to leave two of his seats anyway and this is a wise decision: 1. If he had retained Mianwali, people would blame he preferred ancestral place to Peshawar, a place where he is loved. 2. If he had retained Peshawar, his ancestral place would feel neglected. 3. By retaining Pindi, he does not only balance the place of his birth and the place of his love; but he also knows PTI may not win Pindi when Shahbaz is the CM n Nawaz the PM. Last but not least, he makes sure Hanif Abbasi stay out of this parliament.
And ET as usual bashing IK even after Elections... Keep it up ET, you will gain nothing....