SWABI: The local leaders of ruling parties have failed to resolve differences, prevalent among them over the chairmanship of district Zakat committee, according to sources.

They said that local leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Jamaat-i-Islami and Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan, the coalition partners in provincial government, held several meetings but failed to resolve the issue.

The post of Zakat committee chairman has been vacant for the last five months in the district.

It is pertinent to mention here that Provincial Minister for Zakat, Auqaf and Religious Affairs Haji Habibur Rehman belongs to JI. The post of district Zakat committee chairman fell vacant when Javed Khan of Awami National Party tendered resignation from the office after his party’s defeat in the May 2013 general elections.

After his resignation, Amjad Bacha, affiliated with the ruling PTI, was nominated as chairman of district Zakat committee.

Sajid Bukhari, district information secretary of JI, told this correspondent that PTI had pledged that they would not meddle in each other’s ministries.

However, PTI district vice-president Sohail Khan Tordher said that their party candidate Amjad Bacha worked as district Zakat chairman for about three months but he was relieved in September.

“It is a question of honour and dignity for us. Why he (Amjad Bacha) was nominated and why he was removed? Such tactics can defame our party among the masses, who attached great expectations with PTI,” he said.

He said that they would soon meet PTI chairman Imran Khan to discuss the issue with him.

Sources said that some local leaders of PTI took the issue so serious that they staged a walkout from a party meeting three days ago and demanded reinstatement of Mr Bacha.

“The AJIP leaders are also striving to get the slot of Zakat committee chairman,” sources said. A leader of the party, when contacted, said appointment of Zakat committee chairman was ‘a big issue’ and the coalition partners had not reached any conclusion in that regard.

However, he added in the same breath that a notification about appointment of their candidate Rashid Khan as chairman of Zakat committee was expected soon.

On the other hand, PTI leaders said that they could move court against appointment of another person as chairman of district Zakat committee.

“No doubt, there is a serious rift over the selection of chairperson and it has not been resolved. The issue has turned complicated with the passing of time,” said Rangaiz Khan, former district president of PTI.Mr Bacha, when contacted, said that his removal was a negation of the notification.

“I was appointed in June and worked till September and during this period the Zakat fund was frozen,” he said.