Imran ignores PTI leadership during his stay in Nathiagali

ABBOTTABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has made Nathiagali his summer abode and he still stays put in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House commonly known as Chief Minister's House.

Enjoying the serene environment and cool temperatures of Galiyat, Imran Khan spent most of the Ramazan in Nathiagali while jogging in the afternoons and playing ludo at nights. In between, Imran continued his political activities besides reaping the virtues of the holy month. It was during the Ramazan when two Pakistan People's Party stalwarts Nazar Muhammad Gondal and Dr Firdaus Ashiq Awan met Imran Khan on separate occasions and pledged allegiance to his PTI.

Imran was mostly accompanied by his party's choice of leadership including, Jehangir Tareen, Muhammad Atif Khan, Shah Farman, Ali Amin Gandapur and Aleem Khan.

During the month of Ramazan, Imran Khan inaugurated a small hydro powerhouse in village Nambal of Bakote circle on May 31. He was accompanied by provincial Education Minister Atif Khan and party's secretary general Jehangir Khan Tareen.

Conspicuous by his absence was PTI Member National Assembly Dr Azhar Jadoon in whose constituency Imran unveiled the plaque of a micro power project, which had already been inaugurated by the party MNA earlier this year.

Again, Imran Khan reached Abbottabad on June 1 to inaugurate gravity flow water supply scheme, which had already been commissioned twice before and once by PTI Minister Shah Farman who was accompanying him. Someone from within the party told Imran Khan that his opponents would make fun of him if he inaugurated the already commissioned and functional scheme. The inauguration plaque from the venue was removed and the event was renamed as "briefing".

What was shocking was the fact that Imran Khan's helicopter landed on a hilltop along the water tanks of the said water supply scheme and local administration and PTI minister Qalandar Khan Lodhi, Advisor Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani, MPA Sardar Idrees had been left waiting for their chairman's helicopter to land near Mushtaq Ghani's Pine Hills School.

Imran Khan, who alighted from his helicopter near water tanks along with provincial assembly speaker Asad Qaiser and Minister for Public Health and Engineering Shah Farman, was received by new entrant to PTI and advisor Zar Gul Khan and another newcomer to PTI Ibrar Saeed Swati, who ended his 28 years long association with Aftab Sherpao and joined PTI three months ago.

Embarrassed by the situation, Qalandar Khan Lodi, Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani, Sardar Idrees and entire local PTI leadership were left with no option but to rush to Imran Khan's function at a time when Imran was about to wind up his media talk.

Local political pundits are viewing this snub as a very significant move by Imran to ignore his local party leadership in Abbottabad. "I don't want PTI MNA Dr Azhar to be seen in my any engagement in Abbottabad," Imran has been quoted as saying by a senior PTI leader. Coming days are expected to unveil more political drama about Imran Khan and local PTI leadership, which is already divided into two groups, one led by Ali Asghar Khan and the other by Ali Khan Jadoon.