PTI fields candidates on three seats in Lakki

LAKKI MARWAT: The parliamentary board of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has named its candidates for the three provincial assembly seats of the district, bringing an end to speculations and confusion among party workers.

According to party sources, Johar Muhammad Khan was awarded a ticket to contest election for provincial assembly constituency of PK-91 (Lakki Marwat-I). Johar is a close relative of PTI’s former MNA Col (Retd) Ameerullah Khan Marwat.

Along with Johar Muhammad Khan, former district nazim Ishfaq Ahmad Khan Meenakhel, former federal secretary Akhtar Munir Marwat, PTI’s district vice-president Dr Muhammad Iqbal and Barrister Sher Afzal Khan had also applied for ticket for the same constituency. Ishfaq Meenakhel and Sher Afzal are now vying to get PTI ticket for National Assembly constituency of NA-36.An elder of Meenakhel tribe, Akhtar Munir Marwat, who was denied PTI ticket, is likely to contest election as an independent candidate.

For PK-92 (Lakki Marwat-II), the PTI awarded ticket to Dr Hisham Inamullah Khan, a cousin of Saifullah brothers. The influential Saifullahs heading a local political group, Marwat Ittehad Group, had forged an electoral alliance with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to support PTI candidates on provincial assembly seats. Under the alliance, the PTI had to support Salim Saifullah Khan as an independent candidate on National Assembly constituency of NA-36.

The electoral alliance had divided the district chapter of PTI into two groups. One was in favour of the alliance while the other headed by district chief Saleem Nawaz openly opposed it. The local PTI leaders who opposed the electoral alliance with Marwat Ittehad Group were of the view that influential Saifullahs wanted PTI tickets for their “blue-eyed” candidates through the electoral alliance.

Despite opposition by these local PTI leaders former federal minister Salim Saifullah Khan succeeded to get PTI ticket for his close relative Dr Hisham Inamullah Khan.

The dissident PTI office-bearers supported Johar Muhammad Khan, a close relative of former MNA Col (Retd) Ameerullah Marwat, for award of a ticket for PK-91 (Lakki Marwat-I) but they feared that Saifullah brothers might hamper their efforts so as to get ticket for their close aide, former district nazim Ishfaq Ahmad Khan Meenakhel or Barrister Sher Afzal Khan Marwat.

The parliamentary board ignored tehsil councillor Haji Farhanullah Khan and other party activists for ticket for PK-92 (Lakki Marwat-II).

Former MNA Naseer Muhammad Khan Maidadkhel’s nephew Tariq Saeed Maidadkhel will be the PTI contender for PK-93 (Lakki Marwat-III) as he has been awarded party ticket by the parliamentary board.