PTI workers stage protest against governor

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers in Peshawar staged a protest here on Friday against Governor Shah Farman after holding him responsible for the recent defeat of the ruling party nominees in the recent local government elections and demanded his removal from the office.

The protesters were led by Zafarullah Khattak, Dr Inayatullah Chamkani, Aqil Raziq, Dr Inamullah and others.

They were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the governor. The PTI workers chanted slogans against Shah Farman and urged the party leadership to take action against him for his alleged anti-party activities.

They believed the governor was responsible for the recent defeat of the PTI nominees in the local government elections in Peshawar, the internal rift within the party and the worst performance of the provincial government.

The protesters accused the governor of promoting ministers, advisers and blue-eyed people, ignoring true and dedicated party’s workers while awarding party’s tickets for elections.

The PTI workers alleged that Shah Farman insulted the party workers and was promoting corruption.

Speaking on occasion, they accused the governor of ruining the PTI in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and promoting para-shooters, investors and opportunists who had joined the ruling party for their own vested interests.

They alleged that the performance of the PTI leaders was zero, saying the central leadership should have taken action against the erring persons soon after the elections in Peshawar Cantonment but that was not done and the result came out in the face of the dismal showing in the first phase of the local government elections.

The protesters said instead of awarding the party tickets to the genuine workers, the blue-eyed people of ministers, advisers were favoured and that ruined the party in KP.

The PTI workers said this favouritism divided the party.

They said Prime Minister Imran Khan wanted to strengthen the party but the inefficient rulers had ruined the party by promoting a few individuals.

The speakers alleged that the governor was interfering in the internal affairs of the party, which was a violation of his constitutional status.

They said the unjustified interference by the governor had forced the sincere workers to leave the party and now the Arbab family had also accused him of minting money from the candidates.

They, however, said the Arbab family had also played a role in destroying the party, as they did with other parties in the past.

The PTI workers recalled that Shah Farman had won the 2013 election with a thin margin and later faced a defeat in his constituency in the 2018 election.

They lamented that Shah Farman was later made governor and allowed to continue alleged interference in the internal affairs of the party.

Apart from removal, the PTI workers demanded immediate removal of the governor and stop him from interfering in the party affairs. They demanded “Insaf Aam and Ihtisab Sar-e-Aam). (justice for all and accountability in the open).

The PTI workers asked the party central leadership to constitute a two members committee comprising Federal Ministers Pervez Khattak and Asad Omar to probe the irregularities within the party, injustices with workers and defeat in the local government elections in Peshawar.