SWABI: The component parties of Swabi Democratic Alliance have pledged to continue their struggle to frustrate the designs of the ruling PTI, ehich is trying to dominate the politics of the district.

In a meeting of SDA here on Tuesday, they decided to cooperate with each other at the district and tehsil councils. The meeting was presided over by QWP leader Advocate Mohammad Jamil. The local leaders of the component parties attended the meeting of the alliance.

ANP leader Mohammad Ishfaq, who participated in the meeting, alleged that PTI used different means to deprive SDA of the tehsil government in Chota Lahor. “Now, we would work with complete determination,” he added.

The participants of the meeting said that district dazism was a member of ANP and the party had formed government in Razaar tehsil but PTI installed governments in Chota Lahor and Topi tehsils.

Leaders of component parties vow to cooperate at district and tehsil levels

They decided to give tough time to PTI in Chota Lahor tehsil and dislodge its government.

They said that minor differences among the leaders of the seven component parties of the alliance would be settled through negotiations.

They also welcomed the decision of ANP leadership to award ticket to former district councillor Ghulam Hassan to take part in the by-elections for PK-44. The seat was vacated by Asad Qaisar, the speaker of National Assembly, as he retained NA-18.

A day earlier, ANP leader Gul Zamin Shah had refused to contest the by-elections. He was runner-up candidate in the recently held polls. ANP leadership awarded ticket to him but he was not allowed by his family to contest by-polls.

Ghulam Hassan, when contacted, said that it was an honour for him that SDA nominated him as consensus candidate for the by-polls

Meanwhile, two candidates filed nomination papers with returning officer on Tuesday while four other acquired the nomination papers from the district office of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the by-polls.

Those who filed the nomination papers included Akhar Ali, former tehsil Swabi president of PTI, and Shah Wali Khan PTI former information secretary.

Aqibullah Khan, former MNA and brother of Asad Qaisar, PML-N leader Khalid Khan, Hashmat Khan, and JI leader Usman Sher got nomination papers. They said that they would file the nomination papers on Wednesday (today).

WORKERS: The elections of Tarbela Dam Employees Union will be held on September 14.

The leaders of the workers said that a contest was expected between Chand and Ladder groups. Two years ago, Chand group had won the elections.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2018