Daily Times

Differences emerged in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Rawalpindi chapter over the party leadership’s decision of supporting the Awami Muslim League (AML) Chief Sheikh Rasheed in NA-60 and NA-62 constituencies of the city.

Following differences with the party leadership, PTI South Punjab Vice President Malik Parvez Awan on Wednesday met Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Senator Chaudhry Tanvir and Hanif Abbasi and formally joined PML-N. While talking exclusively to Daily Times, PTI South Punjab VP Malik Parvez Awan accused Sheikh Rasheed of hijacking PTI in Rawalpindi. He alleged that Rasheed is trying to form his own team within PTI which is not acceptable for ideological workers. PTI leadership had not taken the local leadership and candidates from these constituencies into confidence before announcing support for Rasheed, he added.

PTI former Member of Provincial Assembly and former district president Arif Abbasi has also refused to run election campaign for Rasheed.

“Neither I nor party workers will run campaign for Rasheed in NA-60 and NA-62 constituencies, where PTI didn’t put its own candidates and announced support for AML head,” Arif Abbasi said also while talking exclusively to Daily Times on Wednesday.

He also leveled serious allegations against Rasheed of taking millions as bribe from the candidates of Provincial Assembly under his both NA constituencies.

Rasheed has taken two new Vigo Cars from Chaudhry Adnan as bribe for issuing him PTI ticket from PP-11. Similarly, he took millions of rupees from another candidate for PTI’s ticket, Abbasi blamed.

PTI announced Chaudhary Adnan as its candidate for PP-11, former MPA Rashid Hafeez for PP-16, Fiazul Hassan Chohan for PP-17 and Ejaz Khan Jazi for PP-18, while Shehryar Riaz who recently joined PTI from PML-N is announced as president for Rawalpindi.

Sources said that former MPA and candidate from PP-18 Ejaz Khan Jazi and Fiazul Hassan Chohan who also remained member of provincial assembly in Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal era are also against the decision of supporting Rasheed in NA-60, 62 while Rasheed was also opposing Ejaz Khan for PTI ticket and was willing that Shehryar Riaz may be the candidate from this constituency.

While the two other candidates of Provincial Assembly Adnan from PP-11 and Rashid Hafeez from PP16 are with Rasheed and according to party leadership decision they have started their campaign with him.

NA-60 and NA-62 have two provincial assembly seats each that include PP-11, PP-17, PP-16 and PP-18 respectively. Difference between PTI leadership and workers on Rasheed’s issue can severely damage PTI and Rasheed’s vote bank.

Published in Daily Times, July 5^th 2018.