Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in Mohmand

Arbab Alamgir leaves PPP public meeting in protest

By our correspondent

PESHAWAR: Former federal minister Arbab Alamgir Khan along with his supporters walked out of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's public meeting in Mohmand tribal district on Thursday to protest against the organisers for not allowing the senior party leaders from the provincial metropolis to sit on the stage.

Arbab Alamgir, who had spent the day in mobilizing people from various parts of Peshawar district to attend Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's meeting, left the venue along with party activists who had accompanied him.

Talking to The News, Arbab Almagir confirmed that he walked out of the meeting when the meeting organisers did not allow the senior party members to sit on the stage. He said he brought the matter into the notice of the party's provincial President Humayun Khan but he slipped away despite assuring him to resolve the issue.

The organisers tried to persuade Arbab Alamgir to end the boycott, but he preferred to join the protesting party activists, saying he could not leave them alone. According to Arbab Alamgir, several PPP candidates in last year's general election including Misbahuddin, Ziaullah Afridi, Irfanullah Shah, Ghazanfar Ali, Manzoor Khalil, Amanullah Khan and Malik Tehmas Khan should have been allowed to come on the stage. He claimed common party workers were present on the stage but more deserving ones weren't allowed there. "These party activists had contested election on the PPP ticket and should not have been treated like this," he lamented.

Arbab Alamgir said there was mismanagement in the public meeting and it caused disappointment among party workers who had come from far-flung areas to listen to their leader. He said some so-called party leaders who could not bring along even five persons for the public meeting through their attitude were causing demoralization among the sincere PPP workers.