PESHAWAR: The Qaumi Watan Party on Friday dissolved its Peshawar district organisation and announced the formation of a 12-member organising committee to suggest ways for the party’s reorganisation in the district and propose new office-bearers.

The development comes after the resignation of the party’s many local leaders, including district chairman Mohammad Shafi Daudzai, over differences with leadership.

The QWP’s Peshawar district organisation was dissolved during a meeting chaired by QWP provincial chairman Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao here.

The organising committee approved by the participants was headed by Malik Saleem Chamkani and comprised Haji Fakhar Zaman, Malang Jan, Haji Mohammad Alam Khan, Arshad Khalil, Amjad Ali Mohmand, Shakeel Khan, Zahid Afzal, Falak Niaz Khan Regi, Asif Nawaz Khan Dauranpur, Niazur Rehman and Khanzeb Khan.

Mr Sikandar said the party didn’t lose election on July 25 but instead, its mandate given by the people was stolen.

He said the party would continue working for the protection of the rights of Pakhtuns. The QWP leader said the people of KP had voted to the PTI in the last elections but its government didn’t address their basic issues. He said the excessive power outages in the province exposed the PTI’s poor governance. Mr Sikandar criticised for federal human rights minister Shireen Mazari over an anti-Pakhtun statement and asked her to publicly apologise to Pakhtuns for hurting their feelings.

QWP provincial general secretary Hashim Khan Babar, information secretary Tariq Ahmad Khan asked the organising committee to begin the party’s reorganisation in Peshawar without delay.

RESIGNATIONS: QWP Peshawar district chairman Mohammad Shafi Daudzai and activists from different parts of the district resigned from the party’s basic membership accusing the leadership of being indifferent to their grievances.

Mr Daudzai told reporters here that his team had played a vital role in strengthening the party in the district but the leadership completely ignored its services causing unrest.

Accompanied by PK-67 QWP chairman Alamzeb Khan and general secretary Amanullah, PK-66 chairman Hafeezullah Khan and general secretary Rahad Shah and others, he said the party held key positions in the last PTI government but the leadership didn’t bother to address the workers’ problems.

Mr Daudzai said many workers had left the party in frustration. He said he along with others would join the party, which was sincere about working for the people’s development.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2018