Qureshi’s visit adds to PTI worries in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: By attending the Iftar dinner of one group, competing for the slot of district nazim Peshawar, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s senior leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s visit to Peshawar on Friday further deepened differences between the two main factions of the party campaigning for the top position of the district government.
“Shah Mehmood Qureshi went to the Iftar dinner of one of the two main groups. He is head of the committee set up to select the district nazim Peshawar and other districts.
?He came to Peshawar on the invitation of Qasim Ali Shah group supported by provincial minister Ziaullah Afridi.
The second group is supporting Younas Zaheer for district nazim and is headed by MPAs, Shaukat Yusufzai and Yasin Khalil,” a senior PTI leader in Peshawar said.
“By attending the Iftar party of one group means he has extended his support to it. It has made us extremely upset and left 10 MPAs who had announced support for Younas Zaheer in a state of shock,” he added.
Pleading anonymity, the PTI leader said Shah Mehmood Qureshi should have avoided attending the Iftar dinner of Qasim Ali Shah group as he is one of the main contenders for district nazim’s job.
“Shah Mehmood Qureshi has become controversial and divided the party into two main groups. It will definitely help other political parties and they may succeed in getting the important position of district nazim Peshawar,” said the visibly upset PTI leader. He said they had decided to take up the issue with the senior party leadership.