Liaqat Khattak says people, not he, supported PML-N candidate

NOWSHERA: Liaqat Khattak, the former irrigation minister and brother of Federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak, on Sunday denied having supported Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Ikhtiar Wali in the recent by-election on constituency PK-63, Nowshera.

He said this while talking to the media at a function arranged in the farmhouse of the Asghar Khan Khattak in Manki Sharif to celebrate the victory of the PML-N candidate in the by-poll.

Ahad Khattak, a former tehsil nazim and the son of Liaqat Khattak, and scores of supporters of Liaqat Khattak attended the festivities to celebrate the PML-N victory.

This was the third big function arranged in the Manki Sharif to celebrate the win of the opposition victory.

The people danced to the drumbeat and showered currency notes to express joy at the defeat of ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate, Mian Umar Kakakhel.

Liaqat Khattak admitted that he had political differences with his brother Pervez Khattak, adding he had given a free hand to the former local government nazims to support any candidate of their own choice.

“The former LG government representatives used their own choice while extending support to candidates in the by-poll on PK-63,” he added.

The former irrigation minister, who was sacked after the defeat of the PTI candidate in the by-election, said he had not sought the party ticket for his son. “However, Ahad Khattak would have won the seat had he contested the by-poll as we have served the people well,” he added.

Liaqat Khattak complained that he enjoyed no powers for the last eight months when he was the provincial minister. How can I do anything wrong even when I don’t have powers”? he asked. The brother of the federal minister said it not him but the people of Nowshera had supported the PML-N in the recent by-poll.

“The PTI workers and Nazim Councillor Ittehad openly supported the PML-N. They should be asked for that, not me,” he argued, adding, the workers and councillors had enabled the PTI to have a clean sweep in the 2013 and 2018 general elections and the local government polls.

Liaqat Khattak said he had neither contested the poll from PK-63 and nor had remained a member of the party organisation in that constituency. He added that he wanted to meet Prime Minister Imran Khan as he had been sacked as minister without citing any reason. “I curbed corruption while serving as district nazim of Nowshera and later as a minister. Is this my crime for dismissing me”? he questioned.

He said he had all respect for his brother, Pervez Khattak, as he was not corrupt. ”But he is playing into the wrong hands,” he alleged.

Liaqat Khattak said sacking him after losing the PK-63 seat to PML-N was not the right decision. The PML-N candidate Ikhtiar Wali had never won any election in the last 24 years, he said, adding, the reason that led to the PTI defeat should be ascertained.