LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) central Punjab secretary general Shoaib Siddiqui on Wednesday resigned from his position allegedly over his differences with the party about the formation of party organisation at districts and corporations levels.

However, in his resignation letter addressed to the party’s chief organiser, Mr Siddiqui stated that he was unable to continue serving on his position due to some personal reasons. Resigning with immediate effect, he stated that he was thankful to PTI chairman Imran Khan and all party leadership who always encouraged and supported him.

PTI chief organiser Saifullah Khan Niazi has reportedly accepted Siddiqui’s resignation. The additional charge of secretary general has been given to senior vice president Ali Imtiaz Warraich.

Sources claimed that the party organisation and nominations were unanimously finalised in a meeting of the trio – chief organiser Saifullah Niazi, central Punjab president Ejaz Chaudhry and Shoaib Siddiqui. Later, the nominations were being discussed in detail in the party’s central Punjab governing body meetings. In these meetings too, the nominations were okayed for all 13 districts in central Punjab while discussion were on for nominations in seven corporations. Sources alleged that the central Punjab president had asked the secretary general to notify the district formations but he sent his resignation. They claimed that Mr Siddiqui wanted impose his monopoly despite the fact that he had agreed to the finalised nominations.

Mr Siddiqui was not available for his comments as his cell phone remained off.

Published in Dawn, November 22nd, 2019