Imran’s cousin Niazi contesting against PTI

Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s first cousin, Inamullah Niazi, is contesting for NA-72 Mianwali as an independent candidate to protest what he claims was an unfair awarding of the PTI ticket.

“I am very much with the PTI which is my own party and for which I have rendered sacrifices more than several others,” he said. However, he maintained that it was his right to protest while remaining within the party and added that he has no plan to quit the PTI.

Niazi’s brothers, including the one married to Imran Khan’s sister, are unhappy over the party’s decision not to accord its sponsorship to him for a seat he has been contesting, winning or losing, as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) nominee in the past. He also joined the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf when it became a force to be reckoned with in the wake of the October 2011 public meeting at Minar-e-Pakistan ground Lahore.

Niazi and his family are angry at Imran Khan’s decision to allot the ticket for NA-72 to Amjad Ali Khan, son of late Dr Sher Afgan, instead of his close relative. However, the protests have not persuaded the PTI chief to change his decision.

“Efforts were also made before Imran Khan’s April 30 public meeting in Mianwali to prevail upon Niazi to bury the hatchet but to no avail as Niazi stood ground insisting that the PTI ticket should be taken back from Amjad Khan and allocated to him,” a senior party leader said.

He said Imran Khan picked up Amjad Khan because of his massive sway in the constituency, dating back to the days of his deceased father. “Taking Amjad Khan in the PTI fold will also help Imran Khan in the neighbouring constituency of NA-71 Mianwali that the chairman is contesting.”

The Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf leader said that the party’s parliamentary board considered award of ticket to Niazi for NA-72 more than once, but did not approve it every time. Imran Khan went with its decision, he said.

Before allotting tickets, Imran Khan repeatedly declared that he would have no say and would not favour any candidate in the parliamentary board, which would decide about the party sponsorship on merit. He later admitted that the allocation of tickets was the toughest job of his life.

Before he became estranged with the PTI, Niazi used to aggressively defend it in daily boisterous TV talk shows, taking on its critics especially the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

The PPP has fielded Malik Khalid Awan and PML-N Humair Hayat Rokri for NA-72 seat, which is likely to see an interesting fight.

Of the four seats that Imran is contesting, he is also fighting for NA-71 constituency, which he had won in 2002 general elections.

Here, the PML-N has sponsored Abdullah Shadikhel while the PPP Shaukat Pervez Khan. There are a total of 12 candidates in the run.