Discontent brewing: Workers protest ticket allotment by Swati

ABBOTABAD:

In the run-up to local government elections, rifts in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have been emerging across the province on the issue of ticket allotment. Enraged by PTI K-P President Azam Swati and MPA Mushtaq Ghani’s alleged favouritism in the allotment policy, hundreds of PTI workers from Abbottabad took to the streets on Wednesday.

The demonstrators blocked the busy Karakorum Highway leaving commuters stranded in buses and cars for over two hours.

Led by district president Sardar Sher Bahadur, senior PTI leader Sardar Yaqub Khan, Sardar Raheel and others, disgruntled activists protested on Fawara Chowk. They burnt tyres and chanted slogans against provincial minister Ghani and PTI provincial president Swati.

On the occasion, Bahadur announced he was parting ways with the party along with his supporters and would contest LG polls against PTI’s candidate.

Bahadur, a long-time party worker, was denied a party ticket for Kehal union council and the ticket was instead awarded to Umair Anwar, Ghani’s brother-in-law.

Addressing the protesters, Bahadur said the party has set a precedent by denying a ticket to an elected district president and awarding it to the relative of a minister who joined PTI after winning independently from PK-44 in 2013.

According to Bahadur, the party’s core committee also recommended his name for the ticket but Swati appeased Ghani and gave it to his wife’s brother.

Qari Rashid, another office bearer, accused MPAs from Abbottabad, Ghani, Sardar Idrees and Qalandar Lodhi, of joining PTI for ministries, perks and privileges. He claimed these leaders were causing harm to PTI as they belonged to another party previously.

In his address, senior leader Sardar Yaqub accused MPA Sardar Idrees and Swati of destroying the party. According to Yaqub, since Swati is contesting a Senate seat, he is “desperate for MPAs’ support and is appeasing them”.

He also accused Idrees of selling tickets to his favourites and demanded PTI Chairperson Imran Khan review the ticket allotment policy before it is too late. Sabir Awan, a PTI activist, attempted self-immolation but was rescued by his fellow workers.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2015.