PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf activists, who could not secure tickets in May 11 election, have said that party chairman Imran Khan’s announcement to hold open kutchery twice a month could lead to progress and making the province a model.

Many of them believe they were sidelined in general election in award of tickets. They also object to the selection of majority of the 10 women MPAs on reserved seats in the provincial assembly, but still hope Imran Khan will monitor the situation now and not allow anyone to violate party programme.

“Otherwise, there is no reason to say the government will fulfill PTI’s agenda of making the militancy-wracked province corruption- and crime-free. We look towards Imran Khan to watch the government’s performance and take action against those going against party line,” a senior PTI leader said.

Talking to Dawn and wishing not to be named, he explained how the present lot managed to represent PTI at top level.

He said Chief Minister Pervez Khattak joined PTI some 18 months ago in a ceremony marred by hooliganism in Islamabad where his rival from native Nowshera protested his entry.

Mr Khattak well-versed in parliamentary politics has assumed charge and is now required to do what he hadn’t done as minister in the past.

Unlike Khwaja Mohammad Khan Hoti and Iftikhar Jhagra, who joined the PTI briefly before switching to PML-N and PPP respectively, Mr Khattak remained steadfast and accepted the intra-party election where he lost to Asad Qaisar. He lost in KP but won PTI general secretary slot by defeating Dr Arif Alvi. Soon after election, it was widely believed that Mr Qaisar being PTI provincial president would get the slot of chief minister, but that didn’t happen.

“Pervez Khattak takes friends along. Therefore, he succeeded in persuading top PTI leadership that he was the best available person for the top post in the province,” said sources in the party.

The party has reposed confidence in him despite his being part of previous governments and now it was his turn to set an example for other provinces through good governance and accountability, they said.

“There were major anomalies in award of PTI tickets but the old party workers support the government. The ideological workers sincerely work in the hope that Imran Khan is capable of bringing change in KP if he regularly held contacts with KP people,” the party insiders said.

Also, lobbying for tickets for three National Assembly seats is in full swing. PTI leader Salim Jan Khan who didn’t get party ticket for My 11 election for NA-1 and PK-5, is again in the run. Mr Khan, who is facing an old guard Gul Bacha, is said to have the blessing of the chief minister.