Row over general secretary’s expulsion: Peshawar PPP office-bearers resign

PESHAWAR: The differences deepened in the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday as 21 office-bearers of the party’s Peshawar district chapter tendered resignations from their offices and handed over a list carrying signatures of all the dissidents to senior leader and former federal minister Arbab Alamgir Khan.

The dissident PPP leaders in their statement said they were resigning in support of the PPP Peshawar general secretary and former candidate Misbahuddin, who was expelled from the party without following any rules and regulations. The protesting leaders vowed to continue their protest till the acceptance of their demands and removal of the sitting provincial and divisional office-bearers.

Terming it a vote of no-confidence against the provincial and divisional office-bearers, they said it was the first step to express solidarity with Misbahuddin and against what they said the dictatorial policies of the provincial president and his handpicked office-bearers. Those who resigned from their offices are: Fakhar Alam Khalil, senior vice president, Sehatullah Khan, SVP Nasir Khan, SVP Faridullah Khan, Sharif Khan, Suhail Hashim Awan, Malik Jehangir, Ikram Khan Chamkani, Zahoor Khan, Wajid Hussain, Ashfaq Khalil, Javed Khan, Ishaq Khan, Haji Jehanzeb, Kashif Gul, Fazal Muqeem, Ijaz Khan, Masim Khan Khalil, Ashiq Hussain, Haji Shamshad, Tasbeehullah and Ikram Khan. A source within the party told The News that many workers, who have reservations over the policies of the provincial office-bearers, would also resign this week. The dissidents within the party have launched a movement against the provincial leaders and it would continue till the removal of the provincial office-bearers. They decided at their meeting that they would contact other likeminded leaders and workers and all the dissidents would take oath in a meeting to be held at the residence of Arbab Alamgir Khan today (Saturday).

The dissidents said that it has been decided so that no one could change his mind and preparation for an organised protest movement could be finalised. The dissidents have declared Arbab Alamgir as their “Supreme Commander.” Former federal minister Arbab Alamgir Khan said almost all office-bearers from Peshawar have resigned and the remaining ones could join them within next few days. He said that all the dissidents would hold a meeting at his residence to draw future line of action.

Arbab Alamgir Khan said the sitting provincial office-bearers have no right to remain in office after resignations of 21 office-bearers out of 26. Deputy Information Secretary Gohar Inqilabi said the dissidents should have sent reservations in writing to the provincial president. He said that they could also contact the divisional president or general secretary before taking extreme steps. Regarding expulsion of Misbahuddin, he said that it was the prerogative of the party’s chairman to appoint or de-notify any member.