LAKKI MARWAT: Differences have surfaced in the ranks of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl over the award of party ticket for the seat of Lakki Marwat tehsil chairman as MPA Munawar Khan has asked the party leadership to give the ticket to his nephew and former MPA Zafarullah Khan.

The party’s provincial leadership has awarded the ticket for Lakki tehsil chairman’s slot to former tehsil nazim Hidaytullah Khan.

However, a source within the party said that the former nazim had returned the ticket to the leadership with a request to award it to JUI-F district chief Maulana Abdul Rahim.

“The former nazim had apparently sensed the displeasure of Ahmadkhel family over award of the ticket to him,” he maintained.

Mr Munawar and his family elders criticised the decision of party leadership at a meeting held at Ahmadkhel House here on Sunday. Former district councillor Amir Nawaz, party’s Lakki tehsil chief Maulana Abdul Haq and Maulana Ahmad Shah also spoke on the occasion.

The lawmaker and his brother Amir Nawaz termed the return of the ticket by Mr Hidayatullah a conspiracy against their family.

They said that on district level the party had unanimously proposed the candidature of Maulana Abdul Haq for the tehsil top slot, but later the ticket was awarded to Hidayatullah without consulting them,” they maintained.

They said the decision was changed within hours when they opposed the award of a ticket to Mr Hidayatullah.

“The return of the ticket by the former nazim and its subsequent award to Maulana Abdul Rahim is a conspiracy against our family,” they claimed.

Mr Munawar asked the party leaders to review the decision and award the ticket to his nephew Zafarullah Khan.

Published in Dawn, November 22nd, 2021