PTI's newly elected town councilors resign to protest Afridi's arrest

Around 30 newly elected district councilors and 17 town councilors ask party chief Imran Khan to take notice

PESHAWAR: Around 30 newly elected district councilors and 17 town councilors of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) have submitted their resignations as part of a protest against the arrest of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa minister for Mines and Mineral Ziaullah Afridi.

PTI town councilor Irfan Saleem along with other newly elected town and district councilors held a news conference at Peshawar press club on Monday where they criticised the KP government, and raised slogans against Chief Minister Pervez Khattak. They asked PTI chief Imran Khan to take notice of Afridi’s arrest by the Ehtisab Commission.

Afridi had been arrested by the K-P Ehtisab Commission last week for misappropriation of funds and misuse of authority. The arrest and subsequent stance of the party has divided PTI workers into groups.

“They have framed false charges against the ministers,” Saleem said, adding that “the ehtisab commission had become ‘Khattak Commission’ which frames charges against those who the CM considers as hurdles in the way of his personal interests.”

“We will stand by the law and will secure justice for the arrested minister.”

Saleem was joined by Malik Awan from UC Khalisa, Malik Aslam, Kamran Bangash from UC-9, Malik Aslam and several other party workers and elected members. All the resigning MPA were from Town 1 and from Town, with a majority from PK1 and PK2.

“We have the support of 12 members of provincial assembly (MPAs) and national assembly against the CM on this issue,” Saleem claimed.