FATEHJANG, March 18: A local leader of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Haji Sardar Istiaq Ahmed Khan has quit the party along with his close ally and former Fatehjang tehsil Nazim Sardar Iftikhar Ahmed Khan.

Mr Ishtiaq, who was also a PPP candidate for PP-17 (Attock-III) in last election and president of the party at tehsil level, had developed serious differences with the former state minister for defence and PPP leader Sardar Saleem Hyder Khan.

Addressing a press conference along with his supporters here on Monday, he said he and Saleem Hyder used to be close friends and took party decisions at tehsil level in consultation with each other. “But now he has cheated me and, to my insult, has supported a ‘stranger’ for party ticket for PP-17, though I was strong contender for the ticket,” he said.

Former tehsil nazim, Sardar Iftikhar Ahmed Khan, addressing on the occasion said they had quit Pakistan People’s Party in protest against the behavior of Saleem Haider.

“We will support his opponent in the coming general election,” he said.

Our Correspondent adds from Attock:  This was a second shock to the PPP in the district in last two weeks.

Before this, a senior PPP leader and former provincial minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat had left the party and joined Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on March 6.

Surprisingly, the Fatehjang tehsil president of PPP Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan and Saleem Hydar were close friend till now and both had jointly contested for PP-17’s and NA-59 (Attock-III) seats in last general elections.

But now they have parted ways over ticket issue as Salim Hyder is supporting a novice, Riaz Balarah, who has recently joined the PPP after quitting the PML-Q, for PP-17, party sources disclosed.

Mr Ishtiaq in his statement distributed at the press conference said that Salim Hyder had ignored his sacrifices he had given to strengthen the party in the district and had extended support to a ‘stranger’ for the ticket.

He said now his main aim was to get Salim Hyder defeated in the election.

Local analysts say the departure of Ishtiaq might upset Mr Hydar, who has already been in a tough situation after Sardar Sikandar Hayat quit the PPP.

They say Mr Hayat is a likely candidate of PTI for NA-59, and Ishtiaq’s leaving of PPP will definitely give a boost to his candidacy.

They say that whether Ishtiaq supports Sikandar Hayat or PML-Q affiliated   independent Major group’s of Major (retired) Tahir Sadik Khan, the PPP has lost a considerable ground in the run-up to the coming elections.