SWABI: Leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf have said that they would not create hurdles to the PML-N leaders holding a public meeting and inaugurating a gas supply project for Razaar tehsil here on Friday (today).

However, they said that the project was initiated and completed by MNA Usman Tarakai and he should have inaugurated it instead of PML-N leader Amir Muqam.

A meeting of PTI leaders was held at Tarakai House here on Thursday, which was attended by provincial health minister Shahram Tarakai, MNA Usman Tarakai, PTI district president Anwar Haqdad and general secretary Fida Hussain.

Sources said that some of the participants threatened that PML-N leaders would not be allowed to inaugurate the gas project. However, their leaders cooled them down, saying that it was against the traditions of Pakhtuns to create disturbance for guests even if they belonged to the rival party, they said.

“Let Amir Muqam inaugurate our completed scheme. He knew that I had met with then prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and got the gas project approved,” sources quoted MNA Usman Tarakai as saying. Mr Shahram said that Mr Muqam had contested 2013 general elections from three constituencies, but failed to win even a single seat.

When contacted, Mr Haqdad said that the PML-N leaders were indulging in ‘wrong politics’ with eyes on the next general elections, but the people of Swabi would reject them again.

Meanwhile, PML-N district president Iftikhar Ahmad chaired a meeting to review arrangements for the public meeting. The participants said that all the localities in Razaar tehsil would get gas.

PML-N leaders said that besides Mr Muqam, railways minister Saad Rafique and former information minister Pervaiz Rashid would also address the public meeting.

ARRESTED: Police arrested 28 alleged gamblers in three separate raids and recovered the stake money here on Thursday.

An official said that 10 gamblers were arrested by Topi police, 13 by Zaida police and five by Tordher police. He said that separate cases had been registered against them.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2017