PESHAWAR: While many old guards resent the denial of tickets for the coming elections, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has awarded more than one poll ticket to the influential and rich leaders in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

It has also preferred newcomers for election nomination.

The PTI activists from KP had demonstrated outside the residence of party chairman Imran Khan in Banigala along with others from rest of the country.

The party has almost completed the process of awarding tickets for the national and provincial assembly seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to the new list of its candidates issued on Friday night, the PTI has awarded tickets for 90 of the 99 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly constituencies and for 37 of the 39 National Assembly constituencies.

The biggest beneficiary of the election nominations is former KP chief minister Pervez Khattak, who has grabbed three tickets for himself and one for his son-in-law. The list revealed that the party has awarded one ticket for the National Assembly NA-25 Nowshera-I and two of the provincial assembly PK-61 Nowshera-I and PK-64 Nowshera-IV.

Party also prefers newcomers in many constituencies

Similarly, the second National Assembly seat of the district NA-26 Nowshera-26 is awarded to Imran Khattak, the son-in-law of Pervez Khattak.

The Tarakai family of Swabi also got three PTI tickets, one for the National Assembly and two for provincial assembly constituencies.

Shahram Khan Tarakai, the senior minister in the last PTI government, has been given an election ticket for the provincial assembly constituency, PK-47 Swabi-V.

He also got two tickets for his uncles each one for the national and provincial assembly.

Usman Khan Tarakai is being awarded ticket for the national assembly NA-19 Swabi-II and Mohammad Ali Tarakai PK-46 Swabi-IV.

Former information minister Shah Farman got two tickets for the provincial assembly from Peshawar including PK-70 Peshawar-V and PK-71 Peshawar-VI.

According to sources, like Pervez Khattak, Mr Farman is considered to be one of the influential in PTI who played vital role in awarding of tickets.

Former elementary and secondary education minister Mohammad Atif got two tickets one each for the national and provincial assembly seats. He will contest election on the PTI ticket in NA-21 Mardan-II and PK-50 Mardan-III.

Sources said former speaker of the provincial assembly Asad Qaiser was likely to contest election in one national and two provincial assembly constituencies.

According to the new list of PTI nominees, Asad Qaiser has been given the ticket for NA-18 Swabi-I and PK-44 Swabi-II.

Sources said the party hasn’t formally fielded candidate in PK-43 Swabi-I but it was believed that the ticket will be awarded to Asad Qaisar.

Former revenue minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur will contest for the national and provincial assembly seats.

The PTI has given him tickets for NA-38 Dera Ismail Khan-I and PK-97 Dera Ismail Khan-II.

Dr Haider Ali of Swat will also contest from NA-2 Swat-I and PK-3 Swat-II.

“Justice is not done with diehard workers,” a PTI leader told Dawn expressing disappointment with election nominations.

He said the party had given away several tickets to the people, who joined it months ago. “We have lost interest in the election campaign,” he said.

PTI Peshawar division president Shah Farman was not available for comments.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2018