NOWSHERA: Awami National Party, Nowshera chapter, on Sunday threatened to boycott the Oct 14 by-election if the chief election commissioner (CEC) did not take action against Federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak for his alleged involvement in the election campaign of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf candidates in the district.

Talking to this scribe, ANP district president Malik Juma Khan and both candidates from PK-61 and PK-64 Noor Alam advocate and Shahid Khan Khattak, respectively, alleged that the defence minister was involved in election campaign in Nowshera district and trying to influence voters to join Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf. They said that they would boycott the by-polls if the Supreme Court chief justice and CEC did not take notice of the matter.

Recently, scores of ANP workers and local leaders announced to join PTI in the district, which was considered a great achievement of the ruling party ahead of by-election.Pervez Khattak’s brother Liaquat Khattak and son Ibrahim Khattak are contesting by-election on the two seats vacated by him after the July 25 general elections.

The ANP leaders also urged theelection commission to stop development works by the local governments in the two constituencies as the district and tehsil councils were being used for changing loyalties of the people.

They said that it was bad luck of the country that a federal minister was busy in by-election. The opposition parties had collectively nominated candidates of ANP for by-election on the two seats.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2018