PESHAWAR: Like other political parties, the PPP is facing rifts over election nominations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Also, the Bilawal Bhutto-led party is struggling to find candidates in some areas as its leaders haven’t applied for election tickets over differences.

The PPP provincial parliamentary board hasn’t released the list of election nominees even after interviewing aspirants. The sources claimed that after learning about the board’s failure to find suitable candidates for most assembly seats, the party’s top leadership stopped the release of candidate lists for the time being saying it’ll rope in the aspirants neglected by other parties, especially the PTI.

They said party leaders Anwar Saifullah Khan, Khawaja Mohammad Khan Hoti, Aurangzeb Khan Hoti, and Arbab Alamgir, wife Asma Alamgir and son Arbab Zarak, who didn’t appear before the parliamentary board, were called by PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari to Karachi before being given election tickets.

Sources insist PPP faces rifts over nominations, struggles to find candidates

The sources said Ms Asma had got Mr Zardari’s nod in Oct 2017 to contest election on a National Assembly general seat but some local party leaders created problems for her and therefore, she along her husband and son opted not to appear before the board for interview.

They said Noor Alam Khan was the PPP’s potential election candidate but as he had joined the PTI, the party had to adjust Arbabs in election nominations.

The sources said Ms Asma had been given NA-27 ticket, Arbab Alamgir NA-30’s and Arbab Zarak PK-74’s.

They however said the PPP provincial leadership was trying to bring in former PTI MPA Yaseen Khalil, who had linked his joining the party to the award of the PK-74 ticket already given to Arbabs.

“Mr Asif Zardari has awarded us election tickets and no one else has the right to change it,” Ms Asma said.

PPP provincial president Humayun Khan belongs to Malakand district, where he always faces strong opposition from senior party leader and former minister Lal Mohammad Khan.

However, this time around, the provincial leadership has ‘tactfully cornered’ Lal Mohammad by filing nomination papers of party chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari from the constituency, NA-8-Malakand and thus, blocking his nomination.

Mr Lala Mohammad’s son, Asad Lal Khan, was also denied election ticket by the party.

“It is a conspiracy hatched by the provincial leadership to corner me but if Bilawal is interested in contesting elections in my constituency, then he is welcome,” Lal Khan told Dawn.

After the death of former provincial assembly speaker Abdul Akbar Khan of Mardan, Zeeshan Khanzada, son of Senator Khanzada Khan, had launched a campaign in PK-49, Mardan but the party didn’t given him the sought-after ticket, which went to the widow of Mr Abdul Akbar. The decision has created unrest among the PPP workers in Mardan, sources claimed.

The sources said the PPP’s electoral position in Hazara division was very poor as majority of the party leaders didn’t apply for tickets.

They said senior party people like Shamroz Khan, Dr Adnan Bashir and Waseem Jadoon were contesting elections independently.

There are also reports about rifts within the party in Swabi, Dir and southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Not only Anwar Saifullah’s family but all party activists didn’t apply for election tickets in Lakki Marwat.

When contacted, PPP provincial vice-president Syed Ayub Shah said he didn’t apply for ticket as he couldn’t compete with others in the ‘game of wealth’.

“The ideological politics doesn’t exist in the country anymore and therefore, he has preferred to avoid contesting elections,” he said.

PPP provincial information secretary Gohar Khan Inqilabi confirmed differences in the party but hastened to add that the party’s leaders were trying to resolve them.

“I am not in contact with the relevant office-bearers to know current situation in the party. Efforts will be made to take advantage of the PTI’s mistakes in election nominations,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2018