KHAR: The local PTI activists have resented the leadership’s decision to accept Bajaur Senator Hidayatullah Khan into party fold along with his father and other family members.

Among them are also PTI MNAs from Bajaur Gul Dad Khan and Gul Zafar Khan, who have expressed their reservations about the entry of Senator Hidayatullah to the ruling party.

The disgruntled activists said the local residents didn’t like Senator Hidayatullah, his father Haji Bismillah Khan and elder brother and former governor Shaukatullah Khan for opposing Fata reforms and therefore, the acceptance of the former into its fold would harm the party’s interests in the region.

They said some workers, who had long been associated with the party and canvassed for its nominees in the recent elections, had decided to resign over the development but delayed action on the decision at the intervention of local lawmakers.

The activists said the lawmakers had promised to take up the matter with the party’s central leadership.

They also resented the nomination of Najibullah Khan, the elder son of Shaukatullah Khan, by the party for the provincial assembly election and said scores of workers had ended party activities thereafter.

When contacted, Sultan Khan, a spokesperson for the PTI’s local chapter, confirmed that majority of workers were unhappy with Senator Hidayatullah Khan joining the party.

He however said the party’s senior leaders had begun making efforts to address those grievances.

The spokesman said the senior leaders were likely to meet after the presidential election to come up with a strategy to convince the central leadership to review the acceptance of Senator Hidayatullah into party fold.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2018