LAKKI MARWAT: The alliance between influential Saifullahs and the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf is in the doldrums as both have fielded candidates for the seats of chairman in Lakki Marwat and Ghaznikhel tehsils of the district.

Forged before the 2018 general elections, the alliance had helped the ruling party to grab one seat of MPA from the southern district.

Hisham Inamullah, a close relative of Saifullah brothers who had won the election as MPA, was initially appointed minister for health and then for social welfare. In July, the government de-notified him as minister.

Sources said the party leadership ignored Mr Inamullah and awarded tickets to those aspirants recommended by district president Johar Mohammad.

Both have fielded candidates for key tehsil slots

They said that Saifullah brothers, who are allies of the ruling party, were also not consulted before distribution of the tickets. Mr Hisham took notice of it and wrote letters to the prime minister, KP chief minister, PTI general secretary Aamir Mehmood, chief organiser Saifullah Khan Niazi and south region president Shahbaz Shinwari.

He alleged that federal minister Ali Amin Gandapur awarded tickets to the candidates in Lakki Marwat in cahoots with his handpicked district president Johar Mohammad.

He proposed the names of Shafqatullah, Zeeshan Mohammad and Ashfaq Khan to the party leadership to award them tickets for the chairman slots in Lakki Marwat and Ghaznikhel tehsils and Betani tribal subdivision. However, the party high command did not pay heed to his proposal. The PTI workers are now in a fix whom to support; the candidates backed by the party or those affiliated with Saifullahs and Mr Inamullah.

In Lakki Marwat, PTI district general secretary Shafqatullah Khan backed by Saifullah brothers and MPA Hisham is in the poll arena as an independent candidate while the party fielded its tehsil president Mohammad Iqbal for the slot of tehsil chairman.

An independent candidate Zeeshan, a close relative of Saifullahs, will confront PTI aspirant Mohammad Salim for Ghaznikhel tehsil chairman slot.

Similarly, Noor Gul, a PTI contender, will give a tough time to an independent candidate Ashfaq Khan, backed by Saifullahs and Mr Hisham, for Betanni tribal subdivision top slot.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2021