KARACHI: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday in a meeting with Senator-elect Mohammad Abdul Qadir welcomed him into the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) despite strong opposition from Balochistan leadership and zonal heads of the party who had earlier compelled the central high command to withdraw a party ticket awarded to him.

Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak and PTI chief organiser Saifullah Niazi were present at the meeting in which the construction business tycoon, who was recently elected to the upper house of parliament as an independent candidate, announced joining the PTI again.

While he had got the PTI ticket for the Senate election from Balochistan last month despite strong resistance from within the party’s provincial chapter, the central command took back the ticket after the regional presidents of the Balochistan PTI decided to address a press conference to make their reservations public.

PTI regional presidents Dr Munir Baloch, Nawab Khan Dummar, Taj Mohammad Rind, Waris Dashti and provincial leaders Bismillah Agha and Babar Yousafzai at the presser called Mr Qadir a ‘parachuter’ who had nothing to do with their party.

The PTI’s provincial leaders, who revolted against the party central leadership for awarding ticket to Mr Qadir despite their protests, also argued that the construction business tycoon had been ruling Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) member until a week before becoming the PTI candidate for Senate seat. The leaders also pointed out that Mr Qadir had been a partner of Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif.

Published in Dawn, March 10th, 2021