LAHORE: A large number of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and their supporters on Thursday held a protest demonstration outside the Zaman Park residence of PTI Chairman Imran Khan against what they said was the “unfair” distribution of party tickets in different constituencies.
The disgruntled workers and leaders, who belonged to different districts of Punjab including Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad and Layyah, chanted full-throat slogans in favour of their candidates and said PTI was in a position to win the forthcoming general polls just because they had rendered sacrifices in bad times and strengthened the party.
PTI’s candidate from PP-170, Saifur Rehman claimed that following his appeal the party took back the ticket issued for the constituency from Aoun Chaudhry’s brother.
“But instead of giving the ticket to me, it was issued to Aoun Chaudhry’s sister-in-law,” Rehman lamented.
PTI leader from Kamalia’s NA-113, Chaudhry Sarwar said the party leadership had done injustice with the workers as it, according to him, had awarded two tickets to Riaz Fatiana and Haider Ali Khan, who had not even applied for the same. He alleged that PTI ticketholder Haider Ali Khan had assaulted more than 100 PTI workers in the past but unfortunately, had been awarded a ticket while genuine workers had been ignored. He alleged that Riaz Fatiana, on the other hand, had formed his own party but was getting PTI’s ticket not only for himself but also for his friends.
“We supported Imran Khan in thick and thin. We were there during his 126-day sit-in in Islamabad. We provided moral and financial support to the PTI, but when it was the party’s turn to pay us back; tickets were awarded to those who once were PTI’s worst enemies,” he said, adding that they would continue to protest until the party withdrew its decision of awarding tickets to Haider Ali Khan and Riaz Fatiana.
Muhammad Ali, a supporter of PTI leader Yasir Gillani from Shahdara said he wanted nothing from the party but a ticket for Yasir Gillani.
“It is unfortunate that the party has refused to give a ticket to Yasir who has been associated with the party for the past 21 years. Instead of recognising his services for the party, he has been sidelined. He had done a great job for the party and accorded a rousing welcome to Imran Khan whenever he visited Lahore. He brought hundreds of workers to every rally Imran Khan ever held and has played a great role in strengthening the party, but the party has given him nothing,” he said.
Earlier in the day, PTI chief Imran Khan reached Lahore along with his wife, Bushra Maneka, after a stop-over at Baba Fariduddin’s shrine in Pakpattan.
Keeping in view the protest being held by enraged workers, PTI is reportedly keeping Khan’s movement undisclosed and has taken special security measures to avoid the wrath of disgruntled workers. Additional police personnel have also been deployed outside Imran’s residence.
It merits mention here that PTI’s reconciliatory committees have been hearing grievances of the leaders who were not awarded party tickets in the preliminary list, but workers and leaders have said the committees are “nothing but eyewash”.
Disgruntled party workers have been protesting and staging sit-ins in various cities, including outside Imran’s Bani Gala residence in Islamabad, against the issuance of tickets for the General Election 2018 scheduled for July 25.
One of the main issues for the workers from a number of constituencies has been the PTI leadership’s decision to award tickets to people who have joined the party recently and are considered ‘electable’.