In their separate chat with The News, the supporters of both PML-N senior vice-president Amir Muqam and provincial president Pir Sabir Shah were unanimous that the party was divided into various groups and the central leadership seems least interested in resolving the crisis.

The leadership’s disinterest has disappointed the workers and may affect the party’s performance in the upcoming general election.A senior PML-N leader said the ongoing policy of the leadership has confused many. “It is a directionless party having no discipline and unity,” he said, suggesting the leadership to take interest in resolving the crisis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa before the election.

A committee comprising of Pir Sabir Shah, Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan, Amir Muqam and Farid Toofan had been constituted to resolve the differences but it could not hold any meeting despite the passage of five months.

Amir Muqam was reportedly trying to include his supporters in the PML-N organizational set-up and also get them tickets to contest the upcoming elections, but he is reportedly facing resistance from the old Muslim Leaguers.

PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has reportedly asked Amir Muqam and Sabir Shah to resolve their differences before taking up the issue in the committee. Sources in the PML-N said the old party leaders led by Sabir Shah wanted Amir Muqam to field his candidates in his native Malakand division only. However, the supporters of Amir Muqam are demanding a bigger say in the party affairs and PML-N tickets to contest election not only in Malakand division but also elsewhere in the province.

The provincial leaders including Amir Muqam, Pir Sabir Shah and Farid Toofan had been denying intra-party rifts and terming difference of opinion as beauty of democracy. They expressed the hope to resolve the differences and together face their political opponents in the polls. However, the PML-N activists believe the party would face problems if the central leadership failed to resolve the differences in party ranks.