Disgruntled Mardan PTI leaders to contest as independents

MARDAN: Annoyed workers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have opposed the award of tickets for three provincial assembly constituencies in the district and announced to contest election as independent candidates.

The decision was announced at a public meeting in the residence of Haris Khan Toru, son of former KP police chief Fiaz Khan Toru. Haris Khan Toru, Lakhkar Khan, Kaleemullah Khan, Abdul Sattar and Iqtidar Khan, aspirants for PK-51, PK-52, Nawabzada Nasurullah Khan, PTI district council member Abdul Sattar, Khitab Bacha, Brigidir (r) Ismail Khan, Adbus Salam Afridi of PK-53, Ashraf Khan, Sadique Ahmed, Nasir Khan advocate, former candidate of NA-21 and others were also present on the occasion, besides a large number of PTI (Nazriyati group) workers.

The participants raised slogans in favour of PTI chief Imran Khan but expressed concern over the allotment of tickets for three constituencies. They alleged that the party leadership allotted tickets to the newcomers and ignored the ideological workers.

Addressing the meeting, speakers criticised former provincial minister and central additional general secretary of PTI Mohammad Atif Khan. They alleged that Atif Khan ignored the party’s old workers in allotment of tickets.