NA-34: PTI ignores former general’s son

PESHAWAR: The son of retired Lt General Ali Kuli Khan has been ignored in the award of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) tickets because the final list doesn’t include his name as the candidate for National Assembly constituency, NA-34 Karak.

Instead the ticket has been given to Shahid Ahmad Khattak, an office-bearer of the Insaf Students Federation. The young man has no experience and lacks resources. The PTI may be interested in presenting him as a poster-boy to show that it is reposing trust in young people and giving them ticket even if they aren’t among the electables.

Khalid Kuli Khan, the son of Lt Gen (R) Ali Kuli Khan, had applied for the PTI ticket for NA-34 Karak. Later, when it emerged that Shahid Khattak was being given the ticket, Khalid Kuli made an appeal to the party leadership to review and reconsider his candidature. However, Shahid Khattak has again been preferred and he will now contest the election as the PTI candidate.

Khalid Kuli is well-educated and has been running the family’s businesses. His father Lt Gen (R) Ali Kuli Khan was one of the leading candidates to become the Army chief but the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif favoured Pervez Musharraf. Lt Gen (R) Ali Kuli Khan resigned and began looking after the family’s businesses.

In May 2012, Lt Gen (R) Ali Kuli Khan joined the PTI along with his brothers Raza Kuli Khan and Ahmad Kuli Khan, son Khalid Kuli Khan and other family members. The family was hoping it will be given the PTI ticket for contesting the election in its native district Karak where its members contested the polls a number of times in the past.

Due to the tussle over the award of tickets, the PTI is confronted with the challenge of pacifying those who are threatening the election as independent candidates. Former lawmaker Shamsur Rahman too was a candidate for the PTI ticket from NA-34. It is unclear if he will join another party after being denied the PTI ticket or contest the polls as an independent.

Former MPA Gul Sahib Khan too has been refused the PTI ticket and there are signs he may revolt against the party. The PTI may suffer more in the elections due to the internal rifts that wrangling.