PESHAWAR: Great confusion was witnessed here yesterday [March 9] at the meeting of Qayyum Muslim League held at the residence of Yusuf Khattak, MNA, when a strong group of party workers virtually rebelled against the policies of the high command. The revolting workers held a separate meeting here despite clear instructions of the party chief to the contrary.

The trouble, it is learnt, started when the party chief (Qayyum Khan) criticised those workers who were violating the instructions of the high command. He is said to have threatened them with expulsion from the party if they held any public meeting without prior permission of the high command.

A large section of the workers, who did not see eye to eye with the chief and were present at the meeting, protested against these remarks of the party chief and insisted to hold a public meeting. They accused Khan Qayyum of using dictatorial methods and said he (Qayyum Khan) is guided by a few individuals’ advice. Khan Qayyum thereupon left the meeting, it is learnt, in disgust and Mr. Yusuf Khattak is reported to have told the meeting that “those who will be holding a public meeting will not be considered as members of the PML”. A leader of the rebel group later observed that “Muslim League is in need of a drastic overhaul…”.

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2022