LAKKI MARWAT, April 7: The local leaders of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) criticised here on Sunday the party’s parliamentary board for what they called awarding ticket to an undeserving candidate for the only National Assembly seat in the district.

Speaking at a hurriedly called meeting of PTI workers, Haklim Asghar, Farman Zangikhel, Fidaullah, Malik Imran and others alleged that a senior party leader Khan Bahadar deserved to be awarded ticket to contest election for NA-27. But the parliamentary board ignored him and awarded ticket to Col (retired) Ameerullah Khan, who did not serve party, they added.

They said that local party activists would oppose the decision of parliamentary regarding awarding ticket to Ameerullah Khan. The PTI leaders said that Khan Bahadar worked day and night for the party and strengthened it in each and every village and hamlet of the district.

award ticket to Ameerullah is beyond comprehension,” they said. They added that violation of merit in award of party tickets would not be tolerated. The PTI leaders alleged that some members of the parliamentary board had links with other political parties and they wanted to deprive genuine leaders and workers of contesting elections.

They demanded of PTI chairman Imran Khan to stop parliamentary board from awarding tickets to undeserving people and direct it to keep party leaders including NA-27 aspirant Khan Bahadar on top of the lists of ticket deserving candidates.

Meanwhile, an independent candidate for NA-27, Malik Haji Gulo Khan, withdrew in favour of Saifullah brothers. He made the announcement to this effect during a public meeting at his residence in Jabukhel village on Sunday.

Former federal minister and candidate for NA-27 Salim Saifullah Khan, former MNA Ghulamuddin Jabukhel and other elders were present on the occasion.

Two notables of the area, Pir Masoom Jan Zakori and Maulana Abdul Hakim, joined the group of Saifullah brothers.

Addressing the meeting, Salim Saifullah and Humayun Saifullah said that their political opponents belonging to JUI-F could not deceive people in the name of Islam because they had been exposed.

They said that they were in the run for the National and provincial assembly seats against the aspirants of religious party with the clear vision to put the backward district on the path of development. — Correspondent