ISLAMABAD – Differences emerged in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)Rawalpindi chapter over the party leadership’s decision of supporting theAwami Muslim League (AML) Chief Sheikh Rasheed in NA-60 and NA-62constituencies of the city.
Following differences with the party leadership, PTI South Punjab VicePresident Malik Parvez Awan on Wednesday met Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz(PML-N) leaders Senator Chaudhry Tanvir and Hanif Abbasi and formallyjoined PML-N. While talking exclusively to Daily Times, PTI South Punjab VPMalik Parvez Awan accused Sheikh Rasheed of hijacking PTI in Rawalpindi. Healleged that Rasheed is trying to form his own team within PTI which is notacceptable for ideological workers. PTI leadership had not taken the localleadership and candidates from these constituencies into confidence beforeannouncing support for Rasheed, he added.
PTI former Member of Provincial Assembly and former district president ArifAbbasi has also refused to run election campaign for Rasheed.
“Neither I nor party workers will run campaign for Rasheed in NA-60 andNA-62 constituencies, where PTI didn’t put its own candidates and announcedsupport for AML head,” Arif Abbasi said also while talking exclusively toDaily Times on Wednesday.
He also leveled serious allegations against Rasheed of taking millions asbribe from the candidates of Provincial Assembly under his both NAconstituencies.
Rasheed has taken two new Vigo Cars from Chaudhry Adnan as bribe forissuing him PTI ticket from PP-11. Similarly, he took millions of rupeesfrom another candidate for PTI’s ticket, Abbasi blamed.
PTI announced Chaudhary Adnan as its candidate for PP-11, former MPA RashidHafeez for PP-16, Fiazul Hassan Chohan for PP-17 and Ejaz Khan Jazi forPP-18, while Shehryar Riaz who recently joined PTI from PML-N is announcedas president for Rawalpindi.
Sources said that former MPA and candidate from PP-18 Ejaz Khan Jazi andFiazul Hassan Chohan who also remained member of provincial assembly inMutahida Majlis-e-Amal era are also against the decision of supportingRasheed in NA-60, 62 while Rasheed was also opposing Ejaz Khan for PTIticket and was willing that Shehryar Riaz may be the candidate from thisconstituency.
While the two other candidates of Provincial Assembly Adnan from PP-11 andRashid Hafeez from PP16 are with Rasheed and according to party leadershipdecision they have started their campaign with him.
NA-60 and NA-62 have two provincial assembly seats each that include PP-11,PP-17, PP-16 and PP-18 respectively. Difference between PTI leadership andworkers on Rasheed’s issue can severely damage PTI and Rasheed’s vote bank.