ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has seemingly fallen prey to nervousness as it is unable to make a sustainable decision to award party tickets ahead of the general polls in the country.
In a recent move, the PTI, which claimed to be Pakistan’s biggest political party, has withdrawn tickets from candidates in Gujrat and Okara.
Earlier, the party issued tickets to Gujrat district president Chaudhary Ilyas for NA-71 and Zubair Ahmed Khan for PP-28, but it has reversed its decision.
Reports claimed that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) dissident ex-provincial minister Hanif Awan is likely to be awarded ticket for NA-71.
The PP-28 ticket of Zubair Tanda has apparently been withdrawn on the ‘pressure’ of the PML-Q that is demanding the seat for its nominee Shujaat Nawaz Ajnala, Dawn News reported.
In Okara, the selected candidates – Sumsam Ali Bukhari for NA-141 and Chaudhry Muhammad Saleem Sadiq for PP-189 – learnt about the shocking news about the withdrawal of the PTI tickets at a time when they were enthusiastically running election campaign in their constituencies.
Earlier, the PTI leadership had withdrawn the ticket for NA-141 from former MPA Chaudhry Masood Shafqat Rubera and issued to former PPP leader Bukhari. Rubera had moved the party head for reviewing the decision.
The names of new candidates are yet to be announced by the party.
