Rowdyism mars meeting to choose PPP Charsadda head

PESHAWAR: The supporters of two rival candidates for the office of the president of Pakistan People’s Party Charsadda chapter marred the first meeting of the PPP at its newly established secretariat in Duranpur here on Wednesday.

Eyewitnesses said that the supporters of Amir Nawaz Khan and Naeem Khan Umarzai, and workers of Mian Arif and Bahramand Khan Tangi scuffled with each other and threw the newly purchased furniture at one another that disrupted the meeting and left some activists injured.

The elders, however, succeeded in pursuing supporters of both the candidates to continue the meeting.The eyewitnesses said it was the first meeting that was attended by party activists from different wards in Charsadda.

The participants requested the elders to identify and probe those “insiders” who always leaked information and decisions beforehand.When asked, Bahramand Tangi confirmed some wrangling in the meeting when one of the workers asked the provincial leadership as to why they were not giving the office to Naeem Khan Umarzai when they had already appointed Bahramand Tangi.

He said the PPP provincial president Humayun Khan also replied that the party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had nominated Behramand Tangi and it was his prerogative to nominate anyone without consulting the provincial leadership.

Behramand Tangi recalled that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had clearly told Naeem Khan Umarzai in Lahore that he couldn’t interview him for the office of the party’s district president and he would have to wait for three years according to the PPP constitution. 

He recalled that Naeem Khan Umarzai had changed parties in the past. He said he held meeting with three sitting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPAs yesterday and they would soon announce joining the PPP.

Later, the provincial cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Humayun Khan decided to participate in the main party function in Larkana on April 4. The meeting directed the district organisations to hold meetings in their respective areas.

It was decided to initiate study circles for the mobilisation of party workers and youth. Camrade Anwar Zeb, Sartaj Khan Duranpur and Tahir Abbas were declared as coordinators for this purpose.

They would visit every district and organise study circles for People’s Students Federation and People’s Youth Organisation.Tila Mohammad was nominated as office secretary.The meeting criticised the PTI-led provincial government for victimising PPP workers in government departments and urged the rulers to stop such practices.