MINGORA: Rift has deepened in the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf’s Swat chapter over the award of ticket for PK-86 by-election as district general secretary of the party Mohammad Zeb Khan and his supporters on Monday demanded of PTI provincial president Azam Swat and Chief Minister Pervez Khattak to step down over poor performance.

The seat had fallen vacant after the Supreme Court disqualified PML-N MPA Qaimoos Khan for possessing fake degree.

On Monday, the disgruntled PTI workers, mostly local office-bearers, demonstrated on the matter outside Swat Press Club. The protesters led by Mohammad Zeb Khan carried banners and placards and shouted slogans against the party’s provincial leadership and government in the province.

Speaking on the occasion, Mohammad Zeb Khan said he was PTI candidate for PK-86 in the 2013 general elections but after the PML-N MPA’s disqualification, some PTI lawmakers from Swat had turned against him and supported former ANP leader Dr Haider Ali for party ticket in the by-election.

“I have informed leadership about the failure of health minister Shaukat Yousafzai and some other PTI lawmakers to work in line with the party manifesto,” he said.

The disgruntled PTI leader said the people of the province had given PTI the mandate to bring about a real change in their lives through socioeconomic development and provision of justice but unfortunately, the party’s government led by Pervez Khattak and the provincial party president had miserably failed to deliver on it.

He said the PTI government’s poor performance and the provincial president’s wrong decisions had earned the party a bad name in the eyes of the people.

Mr Mohammad Zeb demanded resignation of the chief minister and PTI provincial president and appealed to the party chairman to step in for corrective measures.

“Imran Khan should call a meeting of office-bearers of PTI, Swat chapter about the award of ticket for PK-86,” he said.

The disgruntled leader said if the party leadership didn’t decide about the ticket on merit and issue ticket to former ANP leader, then the party activists would agitate.

He even threatened to immolate himself on the matter outside the Swat Press Club.

Also, angry PTI workers demonstrated at Suhrab Chowk in Mingora city shouting slogans against the provincial leadership.

WOMAN GUNNED DOWN: A woman died and two people, including a passerby, suffered injures when unidentified people opened fire on a vehicle in Koza Bandai area of Swat on Monday.

Police said Saira, wife of Mohammad Iqbal from Kabal, died on spot, while Abdul Ahad and passerby Bakht Biland suffered injures.

The injured were shifted to Saidu Sharif Hospital, where the condition of Abdul Ahad was stated to be critical.

Also in the day, Swat police arrested a man after seizing 13 detonators and 15 rounds of 30 bore pistol in Barikot area.

However, two accomplices of the arrested man fled.

Police said search for the runaways was underway.