Local govt elections: Cracks emerge in PTI’s Shabqadar chapter over distribution of tickets

Jirga of 25 villages decide to boycott polls.

SHABQADAR: At least 15 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf workers will contest local bodies’ elections as independent candidates in Shabqadar tehsil.

The move comes a day after PTI provincial general secretary Khalid Masood resigned. Masood, who hails from Charsadda, had developed differences with the party’s provincial president Azam Khan Swati over the distribution of tickets for local government polls.

A meeting was held on Thursday at PTI Charsadda Vice President Anwar Taj Khan’s hujra.

Speaking to The Express Tribune after the meeting, Khan said a large number of PTI leaders in the district had requested the provincial leadership to issue them tickets for the polls. “However, Muhammad Arif, a PTI MPA from Shabqadar, has persuaded the provincial leadership to issue party tickets to his friends and relatives who had recently joined the party.”

According to Khan, the party’s provincial president has ignored the contributions made by those members who helped carve a niche for the PTI in Shabqadar and Charsadda.

“Since some of the party’s oldest members have been sidelined, we have no other option but to contest elections as independent candidates,” Khan added.

Pledging loyalty   

Although the vice president threw his weight behind Khalid Masood’s decision to resign from PTI, he maintained workers from Shabqadar will remain loyal to the party.

“If we win the elections, we will gift our seats to PTI,” he said. “However, we will not give up our seats to an MPA who is trying to sideline those leaders who have stood by the party through thick and thin.”  According to Khan, 15 candidates will contest the polls on all 12 union councils (UC) of Shabqadar.

“Of these candidates, Anwar Taj will contest Matta UC, Irshad Khan from MC 2 and Adil Khan from MC 1,” he said. “Moreover, Murshid Gul will contest from Hasanzai UC, Sher Wali from Battagram UC, Khalid Khan from Sadar Ghari, Shahab Khan from Katozai UC and Imtiaz Khan from Hajizai UC.”

On merit

When contacted, PTI Shabqadar tehsil President Ghafarullah Sheikh has denied these allegations, saying all party tickets have been issued on merit.

“If newcomers have rendered services for the party, we cannot deny them the right to contest the LG elections,” he added.

Boycott

On the other hand, a jirga of 25 villages from Rashakai UC in Shabqadar have decided to boycott the local bodies’ election.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Malik Gauhar Ayaz Khan, a tribal elder, said the decision was taken during a jirga organised on Wednesday.

During the jirga, tribal elders said the boycott was triggered by the district government’s failure to ensure development in the villages.  “A large number of schools and basic health units in the area have remained largely underdeveloped,” he said.

These villages were previously a part of Mohmand Agency and were later included in Charsadda district. Over the years, they have been largely ignored by the district government of Charsadda and locals continue to stake a claim in being a part of the agency.

“The government doesn’t need our votes because it cares about our needs,” he said. “It only wants to win the polls in Charsadda.”

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