Sardar Mahtab to contest election as independent candidate

ABBOTTABAD: KP’s former governor and chief minister Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan on Friday announced to contest the next general election from Abbottabad as an independent candidate.

He announced the decision while speaking at the local government representatives and workers convention.

Sardar Mahtab accused the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) leadership in the province of making decisions based on personal interests.

The former governor said he had no differences with the party’s Senior Vice-President Maryam Nawaz.

“But there should be democracy within the parties,” he said while explaining his stance.

Mahtab said there was a particular mindset in the party due to which the leadership was not grasping the problems faced by the masses.

He said the PMLN had been limited to Punjab, which was a cause for concern for the party workers in KP.

Mahtab said he had been associated with Nawaz Sharif for the last 35 years.

“It is lamentable that efforts are being made deliberately to create a wedge between Nawaz Sharif and sincere party workers,” he said and added that the party was strong as long as it was headed by Nawaz Sharif but now the PMLN organisational structure had been hit hard in KP.

The former KP governor said Nawaz Sharif had been surrounded by sycophants.

“Why is the party not finding strong candidates for the next election?” he asked the workers.

Mahtab announced to contest the National Assembly election from NA-16, Abbottabad, in an independent capacity.