PESHAWAR: The ruling PTI finally realised perils of awarding tickets for the by-polls to the relatives of party leaders as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman on Tuesday apologised for awarding ticket to his brother, who lost the by-election to an ANP candidate.

The apology from the governor came in the aftermath of the string of losses the ruling party suffered in the recent by-polls. The insiders link the defeat of PTI to awarding tickets to the near and dear ones of senior party leaders at the cost of workers.

On Tuesday, a statement issued from the Governor’s House said that Mr Farman regretted award of party ticket to his brother for by-polls on PK-71 and vowed that he would discourage family politics in future. “I accept that award of party ticket to my brother was a wrong decision,” he said.

Governor Shah Farman apologises for promoting family politics

Mr Farman said that he, being an ideological party worker, believed in elimination of family politics. He assured party workers that he would not recommend award of party ticket to any of his family member in future.

During the recent by-polls, PTI failed to retain a National Assembly and three provincial assembly seats.

Zulfiqar Ahmed, the brother of the governor, contested by-polls for PK-71 on last Sunday and lost to ANP candidate. The decision to award tickets to relatives of senior party leaders was criticised after defeat in by-polls.

Mr Farman had won the PK-71 seat by securing 17,309 votes against his main rival Siffatullah of PML-N 9,202 votes in the general elections but he vacated it after becoming governor. In the by-polls, ANP candidate Salahuddin secured 11,257 votes against 9,854 of Mr Zulfiqar.

Interestingly, Salahuddin was also a PTI worker and ticket aspirant for the by-polls held in October 2017 in the then NA-4 (now NA-29) but he was denied the ticket. However, he joined ANP prior to the July 25 general elections.

Dildar Khan, who contested by-election for PK 71 as independent candidate, stood third by securing over 5,000 votes. He was also a disgruntled PTI worker, who in protest against award of party ticket to Mr Farman’s brother contested the elections.

Sources said that the inhabitants of PK-71 had also some reservations over awarding ticket to Mr Zulfiqar. They said that some of the local leaders of the party were of the view that the brother of the governor was little known to the people before the by-elections.

They said that the brother of the governor was never seen in the political gatherings and activities of PTI. Prior to its defeat on Sunday, PTI had also failed to retain its two provincial assembly seats in Swat and one National Assembly seat in Bannu in the October 14 by-elections.

PTI had clean swept the July 25 general elections by winning three National Assembly seats and eight provincial assembly seats from Swat.

Party sources said that in Swat one ticket was awarded to Sajad Ahmed, a close relative of MNA Dr Haider Ali, to contest by-election for PK-3 while for PK-7ticket was given to Fazl Mullah, a close friend of MNA Murad Saeed.

They said that ideological and senior party workers were ignored in award of tickets. Mehmood Zaib Khan and Saeed Khan, who are considered to be among the pioneers of PTI in Swat, contested the by-elections on October 14 as independent candidates for PK-3 and PK-7, respectively.

Similarly, PTI also awarded ticket to Mohammad Irfan, a relative of MNA Shaukat Ali, to contest the October 14 by-election for PK-78 in Peshawar. The seat was won by Samar Haroon Bilour, the widow Haroon Amed Bilour, who was assassinated in a suicide attack before the general elections.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2018

Download the new Dawn mobile app here:

Google Play