BAJAUR: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf provincial vice-president and former minister Anwar Zeb Khan on Tuesday denied joining the new party PTI-Parliamentarians formed by former chief minister Pervez Khattak.

“I’m with my leader Imran Khan and will stay put, so the report about my exit from the PTI to join Pervez Khattak’s party is false,” the former minister from Bajaur tribal district said in a video message.

Mr Anwar, however, said he attended Monday’s meeting called by Mr Khattak in Peshawar on Monday but that happened due to a “misunderstanding.”

“I did attend the meeting called by Pervez Khattak where some PTI leaders were also present, but that was the result of a great misunderstanding,” he said.

Anwar Zeb claims he attended PTI-P meeting due to a ‘misunderstanding’

The six-minute video message came after PTI criticised the former minister for siding with Mr Khattak.

Mr Anwar insisted that he along with some other former MPAs went to the meeting after being told that senior party leaders would meet to discuss “some key issues.”

“Besides some other participants, I, too, was very shocked after Mr Khattak announced the formation of a new party in the meeting,” he said.

The former minister said he was committed to the PTI and would never leave it despite facing “huge pressure and hurdles.”

He said he was part of PTI chief Imran Khan’s caravan and would stay with it until the former prime minister led it.

“Mr Anwar said if the PTI was no more, he would quit politics.

TOURNAMENT: The three-day Inter-District Cricket Tournament for Special Persons concluded at the Bajaur Sports Complex in Khar area here on Tuesday.

The wheelchair event, the first of its kind in the district, was jointly organised by the district administration, Frontier Corps (North) and district sports department.

Around a dozen teams of physically-challenged persons from Lower Dir, Bannu, Mardan, Swat and Bajaur districts participated in it.

Final match of the tournament was played between Bajaur Golona and Dir Tigers with the former winning it after a thrilling contest.

The closing ceremony was attended by a large number of physically-challenged persons, local elders, sports lovers, and officials of the district administration and security forces.

Youths along with special persons performed traditional dance and sang songs.

Deputy commissioner Mohammad Anwarul Haq was the chief guest on the occasion.

He addressed participants and gave away trophies to the winning and runner-up teams and shields to the players with good performance.

Mr Haq said the tournament was meant to provide sports opportunities to special persons and that more such events would take place in future.

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2023