ISLAMABAD – PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday said he did notconsider Jahangir Tareen a competitor since he cannot contest the polls.

During a press conference in Islamabad earlier today, Qureshi said that heonly believed in competing with others in the political arena.

“My competition is in the political arena and a person who cannot evencontest the election, who is not part of the game, is not my competitor,”the PTI leader said. “I am not insane to compete with Tareen.”

Responding to Qureshi’s statements, Tareen said that he would respond tothe PTI leader after listening to it. “I do not like talking againstanyone,” he stated, He, however, stated that Qureshi should not shift blameand instead resolve grievances of the residents of his district.

Qureshi also spoke about the internal rifts in the party with regard to theongoing protests over ‘unfair’ ticket distribution from South Punjab. PTIworkers have continued to protest for four days outside party chairmanImran Khan’s residence in Bani Gala on the issue of party tickets forGeneral Election 2018.

The party workers, primarily belonging to the NA-154 and NA-12constituencies, have said that Sikandar Bosan should not have been allotteda party ticket. Workers said Imran had neglected ideological workers at thetime of allotting tickets.

Discussing the protest, Qureshi said the party workers had a right toprotest. However, he also questioned the moral courage of those allegedlyconspiring against the party.

“Who is supporting Sikandar Hayat Bosan and who wants to bring him forward?Why don’t they own their decision to support Bosan?” the PTI leader said.

Shah denied accusations of nepotism in ticket distribution. “I feel for theprotesting party workers,” he said, stressing that the final decision todistribute tickets will be made by the party chief.

“I have told Khan sahib that the final decision will be his. I have noobjections to the allotment of tickets to anyone and I will not be adamantto allot tickets to my relatives. I will never give preference to anyrelative over my ideology,” he said.

“I will accept any decision that the party makes. It is the right of aperson to submit a request and present arguments. However, accepting thedecision is the discipline of the party.”

The PTI chief has failed to pacify protesting party workers despiteassurances that he will review the party’s decisions regarding awardingtickets for the upcoming elections.