KOHAT, Oct 15: The hierarchy of Pakistan People’s Party has nominated provincial Minister for Revenue Engr Syed Qalbe Hassan as president of Kohat division and asked him to take along all the disgruntled workers in the election campaign.

The party also promised to award him a ticket for the provincial assembly against the ANP candidate, former chief justice of Peshawar High Court Syed Ibne Ali, who is the maternal uncle of Qalbe Hassan and considered his arch political rival.

PPP co-chairperson Asif Zardari and provincial president Anwar Saifullah Khan also appointed Mr Qalbe Hassan as vice-president of the party in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with the hope that he would reorganise the party.

Engr Qalbe Hassan had joined the PPP last year after quitting Awami National Party. Under an agreement with the ruling ANP he was made minister for remaining period of the government.

Mr Hassan while talking to Dawn said he was thankful to President Asif Zardari and provincial leadership for expressing confidence in him, saying he would leave no stone unturned for making the party popular.

However, the former divisional president of PPP Abdur Rauf told Dawn that the decision of replacing him with Syed Qalbe Hassan had been made without his consent.

He recalled that he had already issued a show cause notice to the new president over some controversial steps he had taken in last few months.

He, however, said he had accepted the appointment of Syed Qalbe Hassan as Kohat division president wholeheartedly.

TEACHERS STRIKE: The strike being observed by the teaching staff of the Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST) has crippled the educational activities wasting precious time of thousands of students.

The teachers had started their strike for 20 per cent increase in their salaries more than a week ago and boycotted the classes.

Now even after the government has accepted their demand the teachers are continuing strike as according to them they are yet to be paid the arrears.

Thousands of affected students whop come from far-flung areas for studies demanded of the government to solve the matter.

The students of KUST come from Kurram Agency, Orakzai Agency, Hangu, Thall, Karak, Darra Adam Khel and other districts of the province.