PESHAWAR: In light of the decision by Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) to break from the alliance with Qaumi Watan Party, the latter’s two ministers and two special assistants to the Chief Minister have dispatched resignations to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor on Sunday.
The resignations from official posts in the KP government were submitted to Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Chairman Aftab Sherpao in a meeting at his residence. The meeting was attended by QWP Provincial President Sikandar Sherpao and others.
QWP chairman, after chairing a long meeting, confirmed the resignations by four party members who were occupants of ministerial and other official posts in Chief Minister Pervez Khattak’s cabinet.
Sikandar Hayat Sherpao and Ms Aneesa Zeb Tahirkheli were occupants of ministerial offices in Khattak’s cabinet whereas Arshad Umarzai and Abdul Karim Khan were special assistants.
“In accordance with the six point agreement, the QWP returned to alliance in October 2015, which makes consultation mandatory on important issues for the two sides,” he remarked with respect to the coalition between PTI and QWP, adding “we were never consulted or even informed by PTI leaders on important issues including the Panama litigation.”
He said that QWP is an independent party and works according to its own policies.
During the meeting, and after a prolonged discussion on the current political scenario, it was decided that QWP will join the opposition group in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.
“It is the beginning…let’s see how many more will be affected after the disqualification of former Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif,” said Aftab Sherpao. He, however, said that QWP will be very careful and alert regarding future strategies and policies.
So far, CM Khattak hasn’t issued any comments on the dissolution of alliance with QUP. He was absent from the PTI meeting on Saturday at Bani Gala in Islamabad due to his trip to Shandur, Gilgit.
The QWP has a strength of 10 MPA’s in the house of 123. Though it would not affect the PTI position, it’s shifting from treasury could increase opposition strength to 54.
For the second time, the QWP has been ousted from the PTI-led coalition in KP. The first time, Khattak announced the ouster in November 2013 after accusing its ministers of indulging them in corruption and misuse of powers. However, later, the alliance was restored in October 2015.
There is a close friendship between Pervez Khattak and the Sherpao family. Khattak was made Pakistan People’s Party’s (Sherpao) provincial president. In 2002 general polls, Pervez Khattak’s brother Liaqat Khattak elected on PPP (Sherpao) ticket as MPA whereas Pervez Khattak elected on PPP (Sherpao) ticket as MPA in 2008 general polls.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Shah Farman, after a high-level meeting of PTI in Islamabad, had announced that PTI would break away from the alliance with QWP. Shah Farman alleged that QWP leaders supported former PM Nawaz Sharif on the issue of Panama.
