KOHAT: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl suffered a severe blow when former MPA Maj retired Shahdad Khan and his nephew and former Lachi tehsil nazim Fawad Khan announced joining Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on Wednesday.

They made the decision when former senator Abbas Khan Afridi paid a visit to them.

Soon after their decision, JUI-F district emir, Maulana Abdur Raheem issued a notification, expelling both Shahdad and Fawad from the party for violating its discipline.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Shahdad expressed the hope that Abbas Afridi would bring development and prosperity to the most neglected Lachi tehsil of Kohat and that he would also make efforts for provision of gas across the district.

It is to mention here that the tribesmen of Darra Adamkhel, which has been merged into PK-90 of Kohat, have already assured Abbas Afridi of voting for him after making a collective decision according to the customs and norms of the erstwhile tribal areas.

During his visit to Darra a fortnight ago, Abbas Afridi had promised provision of gas to the residents.

In a separate development, former provincial minister for jails and elderly politician Iftikharuddin Khattak left the decades-long affiliation with PML-N and joined JUI-F along with scores of local body members and his confidants.

Addressing a function held at his hujra, Mr Iftikharuddin said that they were reposing trust in Seth Gohar Saifullah, who was JUI-F candidate for NA-35.

It is important to mention here that recently PTI held a big workers’ convention here led by party’s senior vice-president Sher Afzal Khan Marwat despite every effort of the district administration to stop it.

Former PTI MPA Ziaullah Bangash, who has joined Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-Parliamentarians of Pervez Khattak, while talking to Dawn said he and Shehryar Afridi had never been in a position to win the elections, but the sign of bat – previously the election symbol of PTI – always brought them to the victory stand.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2023