MINGORA: The workers of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) have criticised former chief minister Mahmood Khan and former provincial minister Muhibullah Khan for quitting the party and joining its splinter group, PakistanTehree-i-Insaf Parliamentarian.

The news about the formation of the new group of PTI by its leader Pervez Khattak and joining it by Mahmood Khan and Muhibullah Khan spread like jungle fire in Swat. The news captured widespread attention in the district as both the leaders belong to Swat.

The PTI workers said that they were disappointed after learning about formation of the new group of the party Imran Khan former aide and former chief minister Pervez Khattak.

Commenting on the news, they said that former elected representatives of PTI from Swat should not have joined the new group. “It is very strange that the PTI leaders from Swat joined the new party. We are shocked to hear this. We thought that at least Mahmood Khan would not leave PTI to join another party,” said Jawad Khan, a PTI youth activist.

Meanwhile, former MPA of the party from Swat Azizullah Gran in an audio message to his workers denied the rumours that he had joined the Parvez Khattak group. He said that he was in Canada and would stand with Imran Khan till the end.

Similarly, MNA Salimur Rehman, who has disappeared since May 9, also released an audio message from an unknown location and asked PTI workers to stand by PTI chief Imran Khan.

Also, former MPA from Swat Haji Fazal Maula has also said in a statement that he neither attended the meeting of Pervez Khattak group nor intended to take part in politics in the future.

Fazal Hakeem Khan Yousafzai, the former MPA from Mingora city, also remained silent about the new development. However, local sources say that Fazal Hakeem Khan will soon announce to join the group of Pervez Khattak.

The leaders of PTI district wing said that they would soon devise a policy after making consultation with the central leadership of the party.

Published in Dawn, July 18th, 2023