BAJAUR: MNA Mubarakzeb Khan has said that he supported federal government in the passage of 26th Amendment in National Assembly as the behaviour of the leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf was not good with his slain brother Rehanzeb Khan in the Feb 8 general elections.

He was among the four PTI-backed MNAs, who voted in favour of 26th Amendment against the party decision. He said that he supported the PML-N-led federal government in the passage of the bill in tNational Assembly to express his anger against the party leadership.

The lawmaker told reporters that his slain brother was a talented person, who had been associated with PTI since long. However, he regretted, the PTI leadership ignored him in awarding party ticket both for National Assembly and provincial assembly seats in the February 8 general elections. It forced him to contest the elections as an independent candidate, he added.

He alleged that PTI leadership also ignored him in the April 21 by-elections, which were both won by him with great margin as an independent candidate. He said that the PTI leadership never treated him well, saying he was not even included in the party parliamentary members’ WhatsApp group.

The lawmaker also accused provincial government for not taking serious steps to arrest the killers of his slain brother, who was assassinated by unidentified armed persons on January 31 during his election campaign.

He claimed that the federal government assured him of the arrest the killers of Rehanzeb Khan. He said that his decision to support government in the passage of the bill would solace his soul.

The MNA said that federal government also promised to release funds for development projects in Bajaur tribal district as a reward of supporting it.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2024