QWP in a fix over alliance with PTI

Deadlock persists between parties over Charsadda district nazim berth.

SWABI/ BANNU/ CHARSADDA: While Qaumi Watan Party Chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao has no qualms over making the party’s reunion with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf public, he is still unsure how the camaraderie will work out in the local government.

The party has yet to make up its mind over the division of tehsil and district government seats between the two allies in Charsadda and Peshawar. Moreover, the second phase of LG polls has negatively impacted the coalition’s prospects.

A meeting held between QWP, PTI and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders at the residence of PTI leader Fazal Mohammad in Sheikhabad, Charsadda on Tuesday; it did not produce any substantial results.

The deadlock has been caused by the district nazim berth which both PTI and QWP are unwilling to relinquish. So far, the parties have agreed to allow Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and QWP K-P President Sikandar Hayat Sherpao call the shots.

QWP is also said to have been on good terms with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl in Charsadda while Sherpao has already confirmed a formal offer to join in from the Awami National Party leadership.

RO decides

A seat in Charsadda’s Rashakai union council was disputed after the local government re-polls. Following the LG re-polls on July 30, QWP candidate Maroof Shah believed he won the seat by five votes and the returning officer had altered the results in his opponent’s favour. On the other hand, PTI’s candidate, Nadeem Shah, was confident he had won and insisted there was no foul play involved.

RO Yasar Jamshed on Tuesday issued a notification vindicating Nadeem’s victory. According to the notification, Nadeem secured 1,725 votes while Maroof managed to get 1,667 votes. With this victory, PTI’s strength has increased to 13 seats whereas QWP has 10. Awami National Party is still leading the line with 17 while JUI-F and JI have six and three seats, respectively.

However, there is more trouble for QWP in Swabi and Bannu. Its district chapters have already made alliances with opposition parties in these areas.

“Before the LG polls, we had given the nod to all our district leaders to decide upon their alliances according to their needs, priorities and political conditions,” the party’s provincial information secretary Tariq Khan told The Express Tribune. “We will apply the same formula when we make decisions for district and tehsil governments.”

Standing together

Although an announcement to support ANP in the district and all four tehsils has already been made, a joint meeting of ANP and QWP stalwarts earlier this week has cemented the agreement further. With QWP’s support, ANP has become a force all over Swabi.

Mud-slinging

On the other hand, in Bannu QWP has sided with JUI-F. The latter is being backed by ANP, Pakistan Peoples Party and JI. Addressing a press conference, QWP Bannu President Adnan Wazir accused the PTI leadership of horse-trading. The former MPA said the party had offered millions of rupees to independent candidates to join hands with their party.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 5^th, 2015.