Donning a traditional turban from the region, PTI chairman Imran Khan took to campaigning in Bannu on Sunday, declaring he had decided to contest the election from the district in order to compete against the "pharaoh of Bannu".

Referring to former KP chief minister Akram Khan Durrani — who has long represented the province in the assembly — as the "pharaoh", Imran asked him (if he is listening) to answer pointed questions regarding "his leader" Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

When the crowd started chanting "diesel" in response, Khan said Fazl should more aptly be called a "magnet" since he goes and gets stuck to wherever he can find power.

He urged the crowds to demand answers from both Durrani and Fazl when they are approached for votes.

What did they do for 5 years [with Nawaz Sharif] that has sunk us so deep into debt? Where have the Rs14 trillion gone? Where will they bring the money from to pay back the debt?

Good pep talk from the 'captain', inciting high spirits in the people of Bannu.

When it came to his own performance in the province though, he said all the dams he had promised could not come to fruition because the "Mujhay-kyun-nikala government did not let them get built".