KOHAT, Dec 13: Intra-party differences within Kohat chapters of Pakistan People’s Party and Awami National Party, respectively, could lead to problems for both the parties in coming general election.

Recently, an ideological group has been formed in the PPP after nominations of new district and divisional organisations by the party president and provincial minister Syed Qalbe Hassan.

In this regard, hundreds of old guards of PPP ideological group took out a protest rally ‘Qalbe hatao PPP Bachao’ against the incumbent divisional president the other day. They also chanted slogans against the minister and displayed placards to oppose formation of new organisations.

Those who spoke on the occasion included former PPP district president Abdur Rauf, former secretary general Mazhar Khan and former city president Nazeer Gulzar, who all were ousted from party positions on the instructions of high command.

In their speeches they rejected the district and divisional organisations and demanded accommodation of old guards in the party setup. They alleged that the new office-bearers were ousted from the party in 2007 and in fact formed the ‘B’ team of PML-N in Kohat. They also demanded action against the minister who, they alleged, had divided the PPP.

Similarly, an ideological group within the ANP, Kohat, has alleged that the present office-bearers were elected through forged elections. At a meeting the old workers announced to hold a convention

of disgruntled workers and review the peace agreement reached with the district leadership six months ago.

The old guards include former secretary general Masood Khan, Shaukat Hussain, Javed Khattak, Farooq Shah, Adnan Bukhari, Tufail Bangash and others.

They alleged that Saeed Shah got elected as district president through own-appointed building contractors as councillors to grab the position.