QUETTA: Differences have emerged in the ruling Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) over the award of party tickets to candidates for the coming Senate elections.

The PTI leadership in Islamabad has awarded ticket to Abdul Qadir, a business tycoon affiliated with the construction industry, for contesting the election on a general seat from Balochistan.

Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry, who is also a member of the PTI parliamentary board, has confirmed the nomination in a tweet. “PTI has awarded party ticket to Abdul Qadir for Senate election from Balochistan,” he said.

The PTI provincial leadership has expressed reservations over the decision taken by the party without consulting parliamentary leaders and MPAs of the party in Balochistan.

Sources in the PTI said the party’s parliamentary leader in the Balochistan Assembly, Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind, and other leaders had not been consulted while awarding party ticket to Mr Qadir by the central parliamentary board, headed by Imran Khan.

Spokesman for the Balochistan PTI’s Asif Tareen, said the provincial parliamentary board and leadership had not recommended the name of Abdul Qadir since he does not belong to the PTI.

“The provincial party leaders and zonal heads have expressed their reservations over the award of tickets for Senate elections,” he told Dawn.

On the other hand, the ruling BAP has yet to announce consensus candidates for the Senate elections. Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani, who was in Cholistan for witnessing a jeep rally, rushed back to Quetta on Friday after reports of differences in the party over the award of Senate tickets as some of the MPAs have announced that they would not support the candidates who were brought from outside Balochistan.

Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani arrived in Quetta on Friday for helping the ruling BAP choose consensus candidates from Balochistan.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2021