FAISALABAD: Former federal minister and a previous Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) ticket-holder from NA-85 (now NA-107) Raja Nadir Pervaiz and Ali Sarfraz, son of former minister Zahid Sarfraz, have criticised party leadership for awarding tickets to newcomers by ignoring the people actually struggling for change in the country.

Addressing a joint press conference on Sunday, they asked party chief Imran Khan to launch an investigation into the grounds on which the tickets had been awarded and if this was a conspiracy against the party.

Mr Pervaiz had played a pivotal role in the victory of Khurram Shehzad in the PP-72 by-elections held on Oct 7, 2013. The seat had fallen vacant after the disqualification of former MPA Khawaja Muhammad Islam.

The reaction to distribution of tickets in the PTI had been witnessed throughout Pakistan, Mr Pervaiz claimed, adding that posters of ticket-holders were being defaced and their effigies burnt. He said they could not stage a sit-in at Bani Gala but were raising their voice against the distribution of tickets. He said one of the tickets had been awarded to a man who had previously won a provincial assembly election with his support.

Potential aspirants Ali Sarfraz, Mumtaz Kahloon and Asad Nader were ignored in NA-107, he said, adding that the PML-N had distributed sweets following PTI’s award of ticket in the constituency.

Mr Kahloon, who was defeated by PML-N’s Haji Akram Ansari in the last general elections from NA-85, alleged that it was a conspiracy against the party and Imran Khan that a weak panel was being fielded in NA-107 and its allied provincial assembly constituencies. He said he remained active and supported the party in all initiatives and protests.

Mr Sarfraz said he had joined the PTI for the supremacy of merit. He said he secured the top position in a survey of popular aspirants, and that public opinion must be respected.

Meanwhile, PTI workers and supporters held a protest in Gujranwala against the award of party tickets for the coming general elections.

Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2018