SWABI: Differences surfaced in the local chapter of PML-N as some senior workers opposed the district president of the party, Shiraz Khan, for ignoring them in award of tickets for the upcoming general elections.

Insiders said that it would affect performance of the party candidates in the elections if PML-N provincial leadership failed resolved differences among the local leaders.

PML-N provincial vice president Iftikhar Ahmad Khan, district general secretary Dildar Khan and various other leaders have opposed award of tickets to some candidates and alleged that they were kept in the dark in that regard.

“The annoyed leaders of the party held meeting in Ramazan and vowed to fight for their right,” said a PML-N leader, who participated in the meeting.

Senior workers oppose district president of party for ignoring them in award of tickets

Sources said Mr Dildar and Mr Iftikhar were not informed when PML-N candidates were going to file the nomination papers.

They said that in the past, all the officer-bearers of the party would assemble and visit the office of the returning officer for filing the nomination papers of the candidates.

“A few leaders of PML-N are responsible for the present situation. They have created party within the party,” said a local leader of PML-N.

Babar Saleem, former MPA and chairman of Swabi Qaumi Mahaz, had joined PML-N in the presence of ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif in February in Peshawar on the condition that he would be awarded ticket for PK-44.

However, the senior workers opposed him and said that they would contest the elections.

Mr Iftikhar, who remained district president of the party for 21 years, told Dawn that workers should be taken into confidence. “Workers are backbone of the party. How the leaders can contest or win elections when workers are annoyed,” he questioned.

He said that no one could organise a public meeting without their support. He admitted that they had serious differences with district president and some other leaders of the party because they failed to take workers into confidence.

Mr Dildar, who contested elections against Mr Babar in 2013, threatened to contest the election again. He had submitted application for the ticket and filed nomination papers for PK-44. But the ticket was awarded to Mr Babar.

When contacted, he said that the party ignored senior workers and leaders in award of tickets owing to unknown reason.“It could not be ruled out that I contest election from PK-44. Those, who were with me, still support me,” he added.

Sources said that none of the district or provincial leaders had contacted the annoyed workers of the party. They said that PML-N provincial president Amir Muqam failed to resolve the differences.

The PML-N workers said that it might be difficult to resolve differences in the party without the help of Mr Muqam. They said that the rival parties got an opportunity to exploit the differences among PML-N leaders.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2018