MANSEHRA, Dec 7: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl leader Syed Haydaitullah Shah has said that Azam Khan Swati resigned from party's basic membership and parliament after party turned down his request for Senate ticket for the next term.

“Mr Swati staged the drama of resignation when party did not assure him of the Senate ticket in the next elections. But people are mature enough to understand the open secret,” he told journalists here on Wednesday.

Mr Shah said that term of Mr Swati as a senator was going to complete in March next year. He said that Mr Swati was served with two notices when he bypassed his limits and attempted to challenge the party constitution and ideology.

Meanwhile, JUI-F lawmaker Laiq Mohammad Khan has said that despite resignation of his elder brother he would remain loyal to his party.

“No matter what my brother has opted for in the politics. I was elected MNA on the JUI-F ticket and would remain loyal to party and its chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman whatever the circumstances are,” said Mr Khan while talking to journalists here on Wednesday.

Mr Khan, who was elected MNA in the by-election from NA-21 constituency in March last year, said that he had met with Maulana Fazlur Rehman and assured him of his commitment with the party and its leadership.

“Mr Swati is my elder brother and I cannot comment on his resignation but I would like to say that I am a dedicated man and I will prefer to die even in the party,” he said. He said that a big public meeting was schedule in Oghi, native town of family next week, which would be addressed by Maulana Fazlur Rehman and other party leaders.

“It would be a record gathering in Oghi and people from all parts of Hazara would largely attend this meeting to express their support to me and JUI-F,” Mr Khan added.