TAXILA: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has announced party tickets for aspirant candidates of two provincial assembly seats of Taxila and five provincial assembly seats of district Attock.

According to a party notification, both of the aspirant candidates again succeeded to clinch party tickets for the second consecutive term including provincial assembly constituency of PP-19 (Rawalpindi -XIV), Taxila by former member provincial assembly Ammar Sadeeq Khan - nephew of former federal minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan and member Punjab assembly (late) Sadeeq Khan and for provincial assembly constituency of PP- 20 (Rawalpindi- XV) former MPA Taimoor Masood Akbar secured party tickets.

In Attock, two out of five aspirant candidates secured their tickets. According to the notification, aspirant candidates who secured their party tickets include former Punjab minister Syed Yawar Bukhari for provincial assembly constituency of PP-2 of Attock city called Attock-I, former Punjab minister retired Col Mohammad Anwar Khan for provincial assembly constituency of PP-4 Pindigheb (Attock-VI) and former member Punjab assembly Jamshaid Altaf for provincial assembly constituency of PP- 5 of Jand (Attock-V).

Qazi Ahmed Akbar was awarded the party ticket for provincial assembly constituency of PP-1 Hazro (Attock-II) and Akbar Khan Tanoli for provincial assembly constituency of PP-4, Hassanabdal.

Former member national assembly retired Maj Tahir Sadiq - who is vocal among party ranks and has a strong as well as influential vote bank in district Attock was ignored in the award of party tickets for provincial assembly tickets in district Attock.

His son Zain Ellahi and daughter Eman Tahir, who were aspirant candidates for provincial assembly seats, were ignored in award of party tickets for provincial assembly seats.

According to political observers, cracks and divisions are expected in PTI’s Attock camp in the coming days over award of party tickets.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2023