PESHAWAR: The differences in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz have taken a serious turn as scores of its senior workers are set to stage a protest sit-in in Islamabad on November 6 against the cold response of central leadership towards their demands.

On the other hand, PML-N provincial president Pir Sabir Shah has announced to hold workers convention to listen to the grievances of the annoyed activists. In a statement here on Sunday Mr Shah also appreciated the annoyed workers, saying that they were the people, who had supported Mian Nawaz Sharif and opposed former dictator Pervez Musharraf for toppling an elected government.

He described the workers as asset for the party and vowed to resolve their grievances by conveying the same to the party’s high command.

“The workers should leave no stone unturned to work for strengthening of the party in their respective areas to prepare themselves for the next general elections,” said Mr Shah.

Annoyed workers to stage a sit-in in Islamabad against cold response of party leadership

He said that the revolutionary steps taken by Nawaz Sharif would help to strengthen the party in the province because PTI had failed to materialise its commitments. He said he would start contacts with the activists within a couple of days to hold a provincial workers convention and take some important decisions.

The workers, however, are of the view that Pir Sabir Shah himself has been ignored by the high-ups of the party and he can’t fulfil their demands.

Some of the senior activists said that leadership had totally ignored Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s recent visit to the earthquake-hit areas was his compulsion to avoid criticism at national level otherwise he had no intention to help Pakhtuns.

“We are not against Pir Sabir Shah but he should also admit that central leadership is not paying him any attention. Had he himself any respect as provincial president, he would have never been ignored so far,” the annoyed workers said.

The disgruntled workers said that during his recent visit to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the prime minister didn’t pay any attention to his party office-bearers as only Governor Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan and Eng Amir Muqam accompanied him everywhere.

PML-N district president Abdul Sattar Khalil, when contacted, said that the annoyed workers held Pir Sabir Shah in high esteem and would hold meeting with him if he contacted them but the date for sit-in was final. “The decision has been taken by a 54-member committee on oath to continue the protest unless central leadership accepts our demands,” he said.

Mr Khalil said that they were not against anyone but they couldn’t compromise on the rights of the workers. “Yes, we have fixed November 6 for staging protest sit-in in Islamabad which can be extended for many days if party leaders fail to respond positively,” he added.

Mr Khalil said that workers were united and ready to render all kinds of sacrifices for their democratic rights. The party leaders should avoid sacking or suspending district level office-bearers for the only cause that they were raising voice for their rights, he said.

“My reinstatement as district president of Peshawar and Umer Farooq’s reinstatement as Swat PML-N general secretary is live proof of workers’ unity. It was illegal to sack us therefore Nawaz Sharif himself took its notice,” said Mr Khalil.

Regarding the demands of the annoyed workers, he said that federal ministers, advisers and officials of federal government departments were not taking interest in the problems being faced by PML-N activists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which had caused unrest among them.

“Our party is ruling the country but we are unable to get a connection of natural gas or appoint a party worker as a peon. The official of Nadra, Wapda and SNGPL are not ready to pay us attention as workers of the ruling party. Same is the attitude of our leaders which forced us to protest,” said Mr Khalil.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2015

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