Top political parties face fissures over distribution of party tickets

Top political parties face fissures over distribution of party tickets

PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto, PTI Chairman Imran Khan and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif. Photo: File 

Top political parties have had to face the wrath of disgruntled party workers and aspiring candidates after awarding party tickets for the July 25 polls. 

In Karachi, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has ordered the formation of a high-level committee to placate disgruntled party candidates unhappy with the distribution of tickets in the province.

The committee includes former chief minister Qaim Ali Shah and provincial party president Nisar Khuhro and central information secretary Maula Bux Chandio according to sources.

Sources said Bilawal has directed the committee members to contact the disgruntled party candidates from tomorrow.

According to sources, PPP candidates in Thatta, Ghotki, Tharparkar and Mithi are unhappy with the distribution of tickets for the July 25 polls.

The award of PPP tickets to the Shirazi brothers of Thatta has upset the local PPP workers, sources shared. 

Cracks in PML-N's Lahore fortress 

Meanwhile, in Lahore, fissures have appeared in Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) circles owing to “unfair” distribution of tickets.

In NA-125, former MPA and provincial minister Bilal Yasin is pitted against the opposing Ayaz Bobby group.

In PP-161, the Khokhar brothers are upset with the party leadership after Faisal Saif Khokhar was denied a PML-N ticket while in PP-147, PML-N’s Asghar Butt will contest as an independent against the party’s nominated candidate, Mujtaba Shuja.

Similarly, supporters of Sohai Shaukat Butt have refused to support party candidate Rohail Asghar while posters against Ayaz Sadiq and Salman Rafique have propped up in their constituencies. 

PTI takes back more tickets 

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has withdrawn party tickets from two Gujrat candidates.

The names of former Gujrat district president Chaudhary Ilyas and Muhammad Zubair are missing from the list issued by the party of candidates for the General Election 2018.

Chaudhary Ilyas had been issued a ticket by the party for NA-71 Gujrat constituency while Muhammad Zubair was to contest from PP-28.

Earlier on Sunday, the PTI withdrew the ticket awarded to former federal minister Sikandar Hayat Bosan amid growing protest by angry workers against ‘unjustified’ awarding of tickets in many constituencies.