PMLN expels Mehtab Abbasi over discipline violation

ISLAMABAD/ ABBOTTABAD: The PMLN on Saturday expelled former governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Abbasi from the party.

According to a notification issued with the signatures of PMLN Secretary Ahsan Iqbal, the party membership of Abbasi has been cancelled due to his continuous violation of discipline.

“In view of repeated violations of party discipline, the PMLN president has expelled Sardar Mehtab Khan Abbasi with immediate effect,” the notification said.

Abbasi had already announced parting ways with the PMLN last month after not getting the party ticket for a National Assembly constituency of Abbottabad. He also cited differences with the party’s provincial leadership.

Reacting to the suspension of basic membership of Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan by Pakistan Muslim League, his son Sardar Shamoon Ahmed Khan on Saturday said that his father was contesting the election as an independent candidate. “I had not applied for the party ticket and am contesting election as an independent candidate from NA-16,” Sardar Shamoon quoted his father as saying.

“The era of compromise in politics is over. I will never compromise on principles,” he added.

Sources in the PMLN said the party took the extreme decision soon after Sardar Mehtab announced support to Ali Khan Jadoon, a PTI-backed candidate and the son of his long-standing rival former federal minister Amanullah Khan Jadoon for NA-17 constituency

The expulsion comes as a result of Sardar Mehtab Abbasi’s violation of party discipline, leading to his termination of party membership. The notification, issued by PMLN General Secretary Ahsan Iqbal, confirmed the disciplinary action against the senior leader.

The political shake-up unfolded a day earlier, causing ripples in the political landscape of Abbottabad. Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan, a discontented leader of PMLN, publicly declared his support for Ali Khan Jadoon, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidate and the son of his years’ political rival, Amanullah Khan Jadoon, for constituency NA-17.

Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan has now positioned himself as an independent candidate in NA-16 Abbottabad.

He has been contesting against former deputy speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi on NA-16 constituency, who holds the position of provincial general secretary of PMLN.