SWABI, July 7: Differences have surfaced among Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) district leaders and some organisers, who have been demanding removal of Ragraiz Khan from the party's district president post, insiders told this correspondent here on Thursday.

The sources said the party's provincial president Asad Qaisar was supporting Mr Rangaiz while the organisers for PF-31 Shah Wali, PF-32 Mohammad Zahoor, PF-34 Fazal Elahi and PF-35 Abdul Sattar had formed the opponent group against him.

There is no organiser for PF-33 while Mr Rangaiz is himself organiser for the PF-36 constituency.

They said that the estranged group alleged that Mr Qaisar, who belongs to Swabi district, had failed to resolve the differences, which forced them to meet with Saifullah, a central leader of the party, in Islamabad on June 24, as PTI Chairman Imran Khan was in London.

“They have given Mr Saifullah a letter for Imran Khan,” the source said.

They said that the group had planned to remove Mr Rangaiz from the district president post. Mr Qaisar, however, rejected their demand, saying that Mr Rangraiz had rendered great services for the party and he would not remove him.

When contacted, PF-35 organiser Abdul Sattar told this correspondent on phone that there were differences among the party leaders at the district level, but the situation was expected to be defused soon. “We hope that issues will be settled amicably in the next few days,” he said.

Answering a question, Mr Qaisar said that he had let the opponent members to meet with central leaders in Islamabad. However, he warned that no one would be allowed to harm the party. Party workers believe that their local leaders should end fighting on petty issues and focus on strengthening the party. — Muqaddam Khan