PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf central vice-president Sher Afzal Marwat on Friday alleged that JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman was making attempts to get general elections delayed on the pretext of heavy snowfall in hilly areas of the province.

Addressing a PTI workers’ convention in Nowshera district, Mr Marwat insisted that the JUI-F feared defeat in elections but the PTI won’t let him “run away” from the Feb 8 electoral exercise.

He said the upcoming elections would eliminate corrupt politicians.

The PTI central vice-president said that the country’s judicial system was “paralysed” but the people would “dispense justice” to their imprisoned leader and former prime minister, Imran Khan, by vote.

“The people of KP have stood up for Imran Khan, while the residents of Punjab are set to follow suit,” he said.

Mr Marwat saidthatPakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-Parliamentarians chairman Pervez Khattak claimed that the PTI would disintegrate, but the large turnout of people in Nowshera’s workers convention belied his claim and showed their rejection of his political moves.

He saidthatMr Khattak was a leader of turncoats who quit several parties to join others.

The PTI leader claimed that the police were carrying out illegal raids on the houses of PTI leaders and workers and registering FIRs against them just to victimise them due to their continued association with the PTI.

He saidthatthe KP caretaker government would be held responsible if anyone harmed detained former MNA Junaid Akbar.

Mr Marwat insisted that the Nowshera workers’ convention was far bigger than the rallies held by the PTI-P chairman.

He added that the large turnout of people in the event had proved their support for Imran.

Former MPAs Khaleeq Rehman and Idrees Khattak and PTI Nowshera district president Mian Umer Kakakhel and general secretary Mian Ibrahim Shah also spoke on the occasion.

They saidthatthe voters would reject ‘thieves’ from otherpolitical parties on Feb 8.

The PTI workers, who turned up in large numbers, shouted slogans against PTI-P chairman Pervez Khattak, who belongs to Nowshera.They also spoke in favour of party leader Imran Khan.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2023