BAJAUR: Differences have surfaced in the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) over the award of election tickets here.

Most aspirants, who were denied nominations, are likely to contest the Feb 8 polls as independent candidates, sources in the former ruling party told Dawn.

Bajaur district has one National Assembly and four provincial assembly seats.

The PTI has fielded PTI district president and former lawmaker Gul Zafar Khan in NA-8 constituency, former provincial minister and PTI provincial vice-president Anwar Zeb Khan in PK 20, former MNA Gul Dad Khan in PK-22, former provincial assembly member Engineer Ajmal Khan, the elder brother of Mr Gul Dad Khan, in PK 21 and Dr Hamidur Rehman, a relative of Gul Zafar Khan, in PK-19.

Most aspirants likely to contest polls as independents

All those aspiring for the National Assembly and provincial assembly election tickets had contested the 2018 and 2019 elections as party nominees, according to party activists.

From among only Dr Hamidur Rehman, who won the last election overwhelmingly, was named as the candidate.

Sixteen PTI activists, including senior and highly-qualified persons, had applied for party’s election tickets.

Among them were Rehan Zeb Khan, Engineer Khista Mohammad, Dr Yousaf Danish, Assadullah Khilji, Raheem Dad Khan and Luqman Khan.

None of the fresh ticket aspirants were nominated for election though some of them have been associated with the party for a long time and even remained behind bars for several weeks after the May 9 violent protests were staged against the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan in Islamabad.

Sources in the party said most of those denied tickets would contest elections as independents and were likely to announce that in separate news conferences on Monday.

Most PTI activists expressed reservations about the award of election tickets by their party to former lawmakers, especially to Mr Gul Dad Khan and his elder brother Engineer Ajmal Khan, saying the two failed to deliver as assembly members and didn’t stay in contact with them after the election.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2024