Conflicting claims: PTI K-P GS’s resignation draws controversy

PESHAWAR:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa President Azam Swati said on Thursday that the party’s provincial general secretary, Khalid Masood, was asked to submit his resignation. However, the former general secretary has denied Swati’s assertion.

Masood is likely to give a detailed version of his side of the story at a news conference on Friday (today). The spat between the two top leaders of PTI in K-P came to a tipping point after weeks-long speculations. Talking to journalists at the provincial office of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Swati said Masood was asked to submit his resignation. Swati added all party members must respect its decision about awarding tickets for LG polls and all aspirants cannot be entertained.

However, Masood told journalists on Thursday that he resigned himself due to differences with Azam Swati. He said their differences were directly related to the provincial president’s decision in awarding party’s tickets for LG polls. Masood added Swati awarded tickets to newcomers, while the party’s ideological workers were ignored.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 1^st, 2015.