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PTI to take action against party members who contested tribal polls independently, says KP CM
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Monday announced that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) will take action against party members who contested provincial assembly elections in the tribal areas as independent candidates.
Addressing a press conference two days after first-ever provincial assembly polls were held in erstwhile Fata region, Khan said: "I want to make this very clear — some of our candidates contested the elections independently [and] they have harmed [the party]. Action will be taken against them."
Nevertheless, the PTI had fared much better than any other political party, he said.
Independent candidates dominated the historic elections and grabbed six of the 16 seats, according to initial results released by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). PTI was close behind with five seats. Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl secured three seats while the Awami National Party and Jamaat-i-Islami secured one each.
The chief minister told reporters that he had congratulated the independent candidates who had won, and invited them to join the ruling party and play a constructive role in the development of their constituencies. He added that two elected members from the tribal areas will also be included in the provincial cabinet as per the law.
Khan insisted that the election was free and fair and the provincial government had not interfered in the polling process.
"The result would have been different if we had interfered," he said. He thanked the security forces and the ECP for the arrangements and lauded the spirit of the people who participated.
"This is a slap in the face of those who thought this merger could not be completed," he said.
In response to a question, Khan said that reports of opposition parties were not being allowed to campaign for elections were "propaganda".
Comments (13) Closed
The writing is on the wall. PPP and PMLN have been soundly rejected by the voters in former FATA. Those who are “demanding” midterm elections should read the tea leaves.
"Khan insisted that the election was free and fair and the provincial government had not interfered in the polling process" the word "insisted" speaks volume.
The new legislators are welcomed to the old Assembly of KPK. Keep it up and hang on tough
I think PTI should have primary elections among their candidates before issuing party tickets. This will help to reduce the rift among the workers and help voters to support the candidate unanimously.
You actively and openly court members of PPP and PMLN to join PTI, and have been first party indulging in floor crossing politics for long time. Why you complain now, like a spoiled child who demands all the toys?
In this case, he is 100 percent right.
Calm down! Contesting election in independent capacity is not as serious an offence as buying other party members who had won election on their own party's ticket.
They have already won as independents....so your actions mean nothing......rather you should be question why they not given tickets and instead you supported bunch of loser?
If you do find some individuals who ran as independent, all you can do is cancel their membership from the PTI, that’s it. You can’t change the results, but you still need them, don’t threaten them, work with them for the betterment of the province
This is a historic moment and present government should be congratulated for carrying out the merger and free and fair elections.
In my opinion almost everyone is rejected by the voters, only 25 % cast their votes, you need only max 12.5%of registered voters to win if there are two candidates, winning by less than 10% of registered votes in not winning
PTI threatened party workers who contested as independent candidates in July 2018 general elections and won electiins from several constituencies. I have heard PTI leaders saying that PTI will take action and will cancel basic membership of all those party workers who contested general elections without awarding party tickets.
Thereafter, I have also heard Jehangir Tareen saying that it was the fault of PTI core committee that independent candidates were not awarded PTI's party tickets.
Now CM KPK Mahmood Khan is threatening PTI workers who contested as independent candidates from tribal areas and have won the elections.
This is an old tactic of PTI to harass its own party workers who have won the elections as independent candidates so that these independent candidates should now bow down and sit on treasury benches with five PTI candidates who have also won elections from tribal areas.
Instead of threatening PTI should bargain with winning candidates to won their hearts and minds.
Wrong attitude of CM party should say sorry and accept that the party has given ticket to wrong candidate