MANSEHRA: The Balakot tehsil chapter of the Pakistan People’s Party is divided over the naming of the former union council nazim of Kaghan as the party’s new president for the tehsil.

PPP district president Malik Mohammad Farooq recently made former Kaghan union council nazim Raja Khalid Nawaz the party’s president for Balakot tehsil in consultation with divisional president and former provincial minister Shujah Salim Khan and notified it.

Former provincial minister and key PPP leader in Balakot Ahmad Hussain Shah supported the appointment.

Former PPP district president Asif Khan summoned a meeting of activists in Balakot on Monday, where participants objected to the appointment.

He also announced not to accept the new president and constituted his own group in party in Balakot tehsil.

Dissenters say won’t back new office-bearer, to establish own group

Asif Khan said the newly-elected president was not only the president of a union council but of the entire tehsil, too, and that the party’s leadership should post a worker to that position to efficiently manage the party’s affairs and thus, restoring public support for the party.

The dissenters announced not to support the new president and establish own group in Balakot.

The PPP had secured a provincial assembly seat in 2008 elections but lost the seat in the 2013 elections to PML-N.

The provincial president of the PPP changed almost all office-bearers at district and tehsil levels and began giving the offices to the activists, who, he think, could attract votes.

When contacted, PPP district president Malik Mohammad Farooq said Raja Khalid Nawaz had been made the party’s president for Balakot for overwhelming political support not only in Kaghan valley but also other parts of the district.

“You know the party is being re-organised in the country. We’re making those with strong contacts in the public the party’s office-bearers,” he said.

Farooq said Asif Khan remained the party’s president in Balakot but did nothing for the party and even, he failed to organise the party in a single union council of Balakot tehsil.

ENCROACHMENTS REMOVED: The tehsil administration of Oghi on Monday removed encroachments from various roads and fined eight shopkeepers for not removing goods in front of their shops despite notices.

The personnel of the municipal committee and police led by assistant commissioner of Balakot Shahrukh Khan visited Mansehra Road and removed encroachments from there.

The administration also served notices to scores of shopkeepers and fined eight of them for encroaching roads in front of their shops.

On the occasion, Shahrukh Khan said the anti-encroachment campaign would continue until roads were freed from illegal structures.

He said the campaign’s successful completion would ensure smooth flow of traffic in the city.

The assistant commissioner said the anti-encroachment squad was fining encroachers besides seizing goods placed on footpaths and on the roadside.

“We want uninterrupted traffic on the roads and those creating hurdle to it will be dealt with strictly,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 14th , 2014