SWABI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf local leaders and workers have resented the party’s decision to pick the former lawmakers in award of poll tickets for national and provincial assembly seats in Swabi, fearing the decision would have far-reaching impact on the party’s election performance.

It is to be mentioned here that the ticket for NA-19, Swabi-I, has been awarded to former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, and ticket for PK-50, Swabi-II, has gone to his brother, Aqibullah Khan. Similarly, the tickets for NA-20, Swabi-II, and PK-53, Swabi-V, have been awarded to former minister Shahram Khan Tarakai, and PK-52, Swabi-IV, to his brother, Faisal Khan Tarakai.

The ticket for PK-49, Swabi-I, has gone to former MPA Rangaiz Khan, while ticket for PK-51, Swabi-III, has been awarded to former adviser to chief minister, Abdul Karim.

Out of the seven constituencies of the district, three tickets have been awarded to Shahram’s family, while two have been allotted to Mr Qaiser’s family.

The party workers and leaders strongly resented the ‘unjust’ decision, saying they were being forced to vote for candidates of other parties.

A local leader told Dawn on condition of anonymity that the ‘diehard’ workers had been left high and dry after the party doled out tickets to a few influential people.

Some leaders blasted the party for awarding ticket for third straight time to former MPA Mr Rangaiz in PK-49 despite the fact that he had his vote in PK-50.

A leader belonging to Maneri Bala village said Major retired Fida should have been awarded ticket for PK-49 due to his sacrifices for the party.

He said the PTI decision would benefit candidates of other parties. He said it seemed Saeed Zada of Jamaat-i-Islami in PK-49, Ghafoor Khan Kaka of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl in PK-49 and Babar Saleem in PK-50 would clinch the seats.

Opposing the PTI decision on poll tickets, a jirga has nominated Salim Khan Jadoon and Omat Khan to contest PK-49 and NA-19 seats independently.

The jirga members said that the party continued to neglect the diehard workers and doled out tickets to Asad Qaiser and his brother, Aqibullah since 2013.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2024