MANSEHRA: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday terminated the basic membership of its nine leaders for supporting and running the campaign of an independent against the party’s woman contender in the sole provincial assembly’s constituency of erstwhile tribal belt of Torghar.
PTI Divisional president for Hazara, Babar Saleem Swati, in a letter terminated basic membership of former district nazim Dilroz Khan, party’s former district president Taj Mehreen Shah, erstwhile district councillor Saifullah Khan and former members of district chapter Umar Ayub Khan, Naseeb Wahab, Raqib Dad, Abdul Rehman, Nazeer Alam and Abid Khan.
“You have been supporting, and running the election campaign of an independent against the party’s nominee Shakila Rabbani in your constituency of PK-41, therefore, membership of you all is terminated immediately,” the letter said.
The letter said that as party would never spare such office-bears and leaders in the PTI fold who would challenge discipline in any way.
The PTI-backed contender Shakila Rabbani is vying from this constituency for the first time in its history.
Meanwhile, when approached by this scribe the former district nazim and president in Torghar, Dilroz Khan said the divisional president couldn’t terminate their basic membership.
He announced to move a court of law if their membership was not restores as it had been terminated in breach of the party constitution.
Dilroz Khan said PTI divisional and district bodies had earlier decided to field a local Said Laiq Aziz Shah in PK-41 and party’s senator Azam Khan Swati fielded a woman aspirant Shakeela Rabbani to benefit his brother Laiq Mohammad Khan also vying in the Feb 8 election as an independent contestant.
“We wouldn’t allow anybody to exploit party for his gain and benefits, this is why are supporting and campaigning for an independent,” he said.
