KP-CM designate Mehmood Khan denies intra-party differences

• Pervez Khattak says PTI stands united

ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister-designate, Mehmood Khan on Thursday said that there was no truth in reports regarding rifts within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) over the nomination of the provincial chief executive.

“There are no differences in the party. We have 64-65 elected MPAs from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and one person had to become chief minister,” said Mehmood Khan.

Earlier, on Wednesday, PTI nominated Mahmood Khan, an MPA-elect from PK-9 Swat, as the next chief minister of KP.

The party’s official Twitter handle had also confirmed his nomination to the CM slot, followed by confirmations from the PTI leadership in Islamabad and Peshawar.

The new KP CM-designate belongs to village Kharerai of tehsil Matta in district Swat. He was born in 1972. He belongs to a middle class family. He completed his early education in Matta and college education from Peshawar. He has a Masters in Agricultural Sciences from KP Agriculture University.

He defeated Awami National Party’s (ANP) Ayub Khan Ashari in last month’s elections by securing 25,697 votes. He was first elected from Matta to KP Assembly in 2013 after defeating the same opponent. He has served as Home, and Irrigation and Sports Minister in previous KP government.

He is the first ever politician from Malakand Division to be elected to the top executive office of KP.

He participated in the 2008 local elections as an independent candidate and was elected the Union Council Nazim for Kheri.

Although his family was always associated with the Pakistan People’s Party, Mahmood joined the PTI in 2012 and has risen to the rank of president of PTI Malakand division.

In 2014, during his previous term, Mehmood Khan was investigated for alleged charges of corruption. He had transferred government allocated discretionary funds to the amount of Rs 1.8 million to his personal account, which he claimed was done mistakenly. Later on, he was ‘exonerated’ of corruption charges by a committee formed by the provincial government.

While an inquiry report later exonerated the minister, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) had ordered for his removal. However, in 2016, he was brought back into the provincial cabinet as the minister for home and tribal affairs.

PERVEZ KHATTAK SAYS PARTY STANDS UNITED:

Separately, PTI leader and former KP CM Pervez Khattak also dispelled the impression of any grouping or differences in the party, saying the party leadership is fully united.

Talking to media persons in Islamabad, he said the party leaders will accept every decision of PTI Chief Imran Khan. Pervez Khattak requested media to stop negative propaganda about the party.

Khattak congratulated Mahmood Khan on his nomination for the slot of Chief Minister KP. He said in the previous term of PTI government in KP, Mahmood Khan was given home and agriculture and irrigation departments but he refused to go with both. He only held irrigation department and later it was given to Sherpao group.