PHC moved for election date: PTI leader

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has approached the Peshawar High Court (PHC) to take note of alleged delaying tactics of the government in holding general elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai said.

He told The News that their Provincial Parliamentary Board in its meeting, held with provincial president of the party Pervez Khattak in the chair, expressed its deep concern over the silence of the caretaker government and Election Commission of Pakistan in announcing the date for the elections.

“There seems no obvious reason to waste time in announcing a date for the elections. The government is violating the Constitution, as under the law, the caretaker government is to hold the elections in 90 days,” Shaukat Yousafzai argued.

He said they had submitted their application before the court and appealed the honourable court to ensure elections are held at proper time.

“What we feel is Governor Ghulam Ali is making all-out efforts to delay the elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as they are aware of the PTI popularity among the people here,” he said. Meanwhile, the PTI Provincial Parliamentary Board in its meeting discussed the forthcoming elections and applications submitted by the party workers for the PTI tickets. Former chief minister Pervez Khattak told The News that he would contest elections from two constituencies from his native Nowshera district for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. “We decided to participate in the provincial assembly elections while party Chairman Imran Khan will alone contest elections on all National Assembly seats

from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. I personally will contest on two provincial seats from Nowshera,” Khattak told The News.

He said they had received applications from their workers for the party tickets but would travel to Lahore on Saturday to discuss selection of party candidates. Earlier, some of the PTI leaders stated that Imran Khan had principally decided that the party central leaders, including Pervez Khattak, Asad Qaisar, Murad Saeed and Ali Amin Gandapur, will not contest elections for the KP assembly. According to insiders of the party, all these party leaders are aspirants for the chief minister’s slot. Shaukat Yousafzai said some of the party’s previous MPAs may not get the party tickets for next elections.

“Priority will be given to the PTI workers who stood by Imran Khan and didn’t face corruption charges. Previously, 20 former PTI MPAs were denied party tickets,” he said.