PESHAWAR, Feb 1: Serious differences have erupted in Pakistan People’s Party, Upper Dir, ahead of upcoming award of party tickets to local leaders, with some activists warning that they would field independent candidates in case they are not taken into confidence over selection of candidates.

Besides, the workers have opposed MNA Najamuddin Khan as member of the party’s parliamentary committee in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and demanded his immediate replacement. They said that a controversial person like him could not do justice in selection of the candidates.

The opposition to MNA Najamuddin’s role in the party affairs was shown by heads of different wings of PPP Dir at a press conference in Peshawar Press Club on Friday. Malik Sher Bahadur of Wari, while leading senior activists and office-bearers, said that the MNA had damaged the party and majority of workers were not ready to support him.

Flanked by some former nazims and party elders, including Bakht Zada, Bakht Munir, Malik Aurangzeb and Malik Mubarikzeb, Mr Bahadur warned that in case the PPP allotted provincial assembly ticket to Mr Najamuddin the workers would field an independent candidate against him.

He suggested that the current MNAs and MPAs of the party should be allotted tickets on the basis of their performance during last five years.

Appreciating the role played by MPA Anwar Khan for uplift of his Upper Dir constituency, he claimed that over 70 per cent people of the area would support him in next general election for completion schemes launched with his efforts.

He said that owing to negligence of Mr Najamuddin, majority of workers were not ready to support him in elections.

The elders complained that the party leadership had given Mr Najamuddin the portfolio of a federal minister, but he only served his vested interests during his tenure.

The area people, they said, had suffered a lot due to natural calamities and militancy, but the former minister failed to give attention to solution of their problems. They said that people in different valleys of Dir were still facing shortage of drinking water and education and health facilities.

Mr Aurangzeb said that despite commitments the MNA did not construct bridge on Duryal Khwar and as a result people of several villages had to suffer.

He said that residents of Duryal, Shagai, Jabbai, Musai, Tingrai, Khar Posai and Sharifi villages had been facing difficulties because of the poor condition of link road.

Jahangir advocate said that the PPP workers would apprise party’s provincial chief Anwar Saifullah of their reservations concerning nomination of the MNA as member of the parliamentary committee.