Daily Times

PESHAWAR: The disgruntled members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday decided to set aside their differences for the time being and pledged to support the party’s protest movement against corruption and Panama Papers leaks which will start on 7th August. However, they demanded of the PTI chairman Imran Khan to initiate inquiries against Chief Minister Pervez Khatak on the ground of the corruption evidence provided to him.

They were holding a news conference in Yaseen Khalil’s Peshawar’s residence. PTI’s Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) was accompanied by 10 other members including MPA Qurban Ali Khan, Babar Saleem, Jamshed Mohmand, Shahkeel Ahmad and MNA Junaid Akbar.

Speaking on the occasion, Khalil said the unhappy PTI members would support the party’s movement against corruption as they are not party rebels but in fact the true workers of the party. “We are not the party’s rebel, but diehard supporters of PTI and want the party’s policies to be transparent.” He said the party has been hijacked by some so called leaders who are using it for personal gain. While unveiling other demands, he said the party chairman should initiate an inquiry against Pervez Khatak. “The party chairman should probe the corruption proofs provided to them by disgruntled members against Pervez Khatak.”

He criticised CM Khatak for his comments about independent lawmakers in his group, accusing them of not being PTI’s supporter. ‘How are they not the party’s supporters when they have voted for PTI’s nominated speakers and the current chief minister?’ he asked.

When asked why they weren’t going to Ehtesab commission against CM, MNA Dawar Kundi said knocking doors of Ehtesab Commission without prior permission was against party discipline. He said they want to resolve the issue through proper channels and this was the reason they have contacted Imran Khan for inquiry against CM. “We will unveil further plans if the grievances are not addressed, and retain the option to go to Ehtesab Commission.”

Talking about the 13-point agenda unveiled recently by party’s chairman, Khalil vowed to support Imran Khan’s agenda. He said Imran Khan should fix the issues inside the secretariat business, saying that the public was always maltreated in the offices. MPA Yasin Khalil requested that media abstain from calling these PTI memmers dissidents and disgruntled, because they followed PTI’s constitution in its true spirit.