Through choppy waters: K-P chief executive pacifies disgruntled party MPAs, ministers

Insiders say Pervez Khattak has assured party leaders of addressing their concerns on priority.

PESHAWAR: Disgruntled Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPAs have been pacified by Chief Minister Pervez Khattak who has assured them of addressing their grievances.

Differences reportedly surfaced among the party’s MPAs including provincial ministers and the chief executive over development activities, with some threatening to sit on the opposition benches if their voices were not heard.

According to insiders, some PTI members expressed deep reservations over being ignored, which also led certain MPAs to boycott assembly proceedings, official gatherings and party meetings. Sources said the estranged MPAs were unhappy about the provincial government’s refusal to entertain certain posting and transfer requests. The denial allegedly irked the MPAs who later approached party chief Imran Khan as well.

“The disheartened members refused to attend the party meeting and dinner hosted by the provincial assembly speaker. They decided to sit on the opposition benches,” said one insider wishing not to be named.

MPAs from Mardan, Iftikhar Mashwani, Ubaidullah Mayar and Zahid Durrani, however, maintained that although there were certain differences among party members they were not to the extent of them opting for the opposition benches.

Mashwani told The Express Tribune the shocking attitude of ministers had annoyed them, but that the issue had been discussed on the floor of the house by Khattak, who assured parliamentarians of addressing their concerns.

MPA Zahid Durrani said the chief minister was reluctant to take time out for them and their constituencies, which was why they boycotted the assembly session and the assembly speaker’s dinner. He, however, clarified it was an internal matter of the party and would be resolved accordingly.

“We are loyal to the party since we are the pioneers who joined the day it (PTI) was formed by Imran Khan,” stressed Durrani, adding Khattak had assured them their problems would be addressed on a priority basis.

“This was something we call a family dispute. We talked about the issues pertaining to Mardan district but never asked to transfer or post someone,” said Mayar, adding they will never even think about denting the government as they were loyal to PTI.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 19^th, 2014.