MANSEHRA: The Pakistan People’s Party suffered a major setback in Hazara division as former provincial minister and its president for Hazara division Ahmad Hussain Shah quit it and joined the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

“We met Chief Minister Mehmood Khan, where Ahmad Hussain Shah announced the joining of the PTI,” former PPP leader’s nephew Nadir Shah told reporters here on Tuesday.

Mr Nadir said the PTI promised the country’s better future and therefore, his uncle became its part.

Mr Shah, who had lost the 2018 election in PK-300-Balakot to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz candidate Mian Ziaur Rehman as the PPP candidate by a close margin, had acted as the divisional president of the PPP in Hazara division since 2014.

His father, Muzzamil Shah, was a close aide of PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and remained a senator.

Sources in the PTI said Mr Shah had joined PTI to claim the by-election ticket after the disqualification of PML-N MPA Mian Ziaur Rehman for possessing a fake degree.

The Election Commission of Pakistan is likely to announce election schedule shortly.

The PTI had fielded a woman candidate for NA-30 in the 2018 general elections. She secured 1,000 votes only.

Meanwhile, PTI MNA Salah Mohammad Khan on Tuesday said work on the survey to supply natural gas to Balakot and eight other union councils had begun.

“This is a mega project, which will be completed with Rs1.5 billion,” he told reporters in Balakot.

Accompanied the lawmaker, a team of the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Company initiated the survey to lay the pipeline.

“As this natural gas project completes, there might be a drastic decrease in deforestation in Balakot and its neighbouring union councils,” he said.

Mr Salah said the PTI government would also provide drinking water to the residents of Mansehra.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2018