MANSEHRA: Differences in Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf further deepened as its divisional president notified the names of office-bearers for Mansehra district and Balakot tehsil without taking the disgruntled group into confidence.

“I have finalised district and Balakot tehsil bodies to show the party dissidents that it is my prerogative and not of those, who are criticising me without any justification,” Zargul Khan, the president of PTI in Hazara division, told journalists on Sunday.

The disgruntled group, comprising senior leaders of party, had opposed Zargul Khan for his policies and announced to stand against him but the latter dissolved the party organisations in the district and three tehsils over the objection raised by the former last month.

Office-bearers named without taking annoyed group into confidence

Zargul Khan after consulting with Babar Saleem Swati, who was already notified as district president of PTI, issued notification to name other office-bearers of the party.

According to the notification, issued jointly by Zargul Khan and Babar Saleem Swati, opposition leader in district council Shahid Rafique has been named as district general secretary of the party. Other office-bearers include Waqar Ahmad Jagangiri, secretary law, and Mohammad Bashir, secretary sports.

Mohammad Aslam Awan was named president of Mansehra city and Haider Ali Khan president of Balakot tehsil.

“I have dissolved party organisations, formed last month in Mansehra district, Balakot, Oghi and Mansehra tehsil, over reservations raised but the disgruntled group to create a friendly environment but this time no such gesture would be followed,” said Zargul Khan.

He said that those, who served party, would be awarded honour and respect while those, who made hue and cry over non-issues, would never be entertained.

“I am a soldier of Imran Khan, who himself follows principles and makes examples for others. Those, who wage fight for the rights of workers, are respectable for me and those, who create hurdles in smooth functioning of the party affairs, would be given a deaf ear,” said Mr Khan.

The 20-member committee constituted by disgruntled group including MPA Wajjiuzaman Khan and former opposition leader in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Shahzada Gustasap Khan also held talks with PTI workers and local leaders on Sunday to present joint memorandum to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and PTI chairman Imran Khan.

“We are preparing a document to present it to Imran Khan and Pervez Khattak and inform them as to what gross violations of party manifesto and favouritism are taking place in Mansehra district and Hazara division,” said a leader of the disgruntled group of PTI.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2017