SHANGLA: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf local leaders have rejected what they called unjust distribution of poll tickets by the parliamentary board of the party in Shangla district.

This was stated by PTI organising committee chairman Fayyaz Ahmed Advocate and Alama-i-Iqbal, while speaking at a news conference at the Alpuri Press Club here on Monday.

“We reject the candidates for PK-23 and PK-24 because the party has awarded tickets to undeserved people, ignoring former MPA Shaukat Yousafzai despite the fact he has contributed a lot in strengthening the party in the district,” Mr Ahmed said.

He said they would not support the poll nominees, adding the tickets were given to the new entrants into the party.

On the occasion, Mr Iqbal said Mr Yousafzai was the most deserving candidate for PK-23 and they were expecting ticket for him because he was the one who introduced PTI in Shangla. He urged the party leadership to review the decision and bring such strong candidates who could compete with the PML-N candidates in the district.

Other PTI workers on the occasion alleged that the parliamentary board had awarded PK-24 Shangla-II ticket to the brother of disqualified MPA, who was facing corruption charges. They said after taking onboard the the party workers from across the district they would adopt future line of action. They said they would force party leadership to reverse the decision.

According to the parliamentary board decision, Nawaz Mehmood of Chakesar would contest election on NA-10, Shangla, while Waqar Ahmed Khan would contest from PK-23, Shangla-I and ousted MPA Abdul Munim’s younger brother Abdul Mulan from PK-23 Shangla-II on the PTI tickets.

COALMINER LAID TO REST: Body of a coalminer killed in a Quetta mine blast was brought to his native Shallaw village in Zara area on Monday.

Five other labourers were killed and seven injured in the blast caused by methane accumulation.

Local residents told Dawn that the latest victim, Mohammad Rehman Malang was uncle of Fujoon, who was among 15 persons from Shangla killed in a similar blast in Balochistan recently.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2018