Can Khattak’s PTIP outmanoeuvre PTI?

PESHAWAR: Though the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Parliamentarians (PTIP) was formed recently, its founding Chairman Pervez Khattak has repeatedly claimed he will become the next chief minister after winning the general elections slated for February 8.

Founded on July 23 last year, Pervez Khattak became the PTIP’s chairman while former chief minister Mahmood Khan was made its vice-chairman.

Being a shrewd politician, Pervez Khattak parted his ways with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after the May 9 mayhem to avoid facing the ire of the powers that be. He is taking credit for the uplift projects executed during the PTI rule.

Pervez Khattak and Mahmood Khan were previously associated with PTI and remained close to former prime minister Imran Khan.

The May 9, 2023 violent protests left the PTI and its leaders in deep trouble. The circumstances forced many to quit the party.

Many PTI leaders had to condemn the violent protests at press conferences besides announcing their decision to either quit politics or part ways with the PTI.

Pervez Khattak and Mahmood Khan were among those who decided to launch their own political party in the aftermath of May 9 protests which saw attacks on army installations following Imran Khan’s arrest.

Though Pervez Khattak had claimed that he was offered ‘bat’ as an electoral symbol, the Election Commission of Pakistan allotted him ‘turban.’

The PTIP is no doubt the youngest political party in KP, the man behind its formation is a street-smart and experienced politician.

Pervez Khattak held a number of positions and remained part of many governments. He started his political career as a general councillor in his native Manki village in Nowshera district and ultimately became the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2013.

He was associated with Pakistan Peoples Party and became district nazim Nowshera during Gen Pervez Musharraf’s regime.

He was part of Pakistan Peoples Party-Sherpao, which was later renamed as Qaumi Watan Party (QWP).

Pervez Khattak was elected an MPA from Nowshera and was made the irrigation minister in the cabinet of then chief minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti during the coalition government of Awami National Party and Pakistan Peoples Party in 2008-2013.

He later joined the PTI and was elected as provincial president of the party in KP.

No doubt if the PTI existed in KP, it was Pervez Khattak who worked hard to organise the party and roped in many electables.

The PTI emerged victorious in the 2013 general election but couldn’t form its government singlehandedly.

Known for manoeuvring, Pervez Khattak managed to cobble up a coalition government comprising Jamaat-e-Islami and Aftab Sherpao’s Qaumi Watan Party.

Despite heading a coalition, Pervez Khattak turned out to be a powerful chief minister. He initiated a number of mega projects in KP, including the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Peshawar, though Imran Khan had initially opposed it, and the Swat Expressway that helped boost tourism in Swat and in the rest of the Malakand region.

According to PTI’s insiders, Imran Khan never felt comfortable with Pervez Khattak but he was aware of his strength and potential capabilities, therefore, he never challenged him publicly.

Then came the 2018 general elections that the PTI swept and emerged with a simple majority.

Pervez Khattak was adamant on becoming the chief minister for a second term but another PTI MPA from Mardan, Mohammad Atif Khan, challenged him.

Khattak formed a forward bloc in the party and had told The News on record that he would quit PTI and politics if he was not made the chief minister.

The standoff between Khattak and Atif intensified and the party leadership decided to appoint Mahmood Khan as chief minister.

Khattak would always claim that he had appointed Mahmood Khan as chief minister.

Atif Khan in the very beginning developed differences with Mahmood Khan.

He and Shahram Khan Tarakai were removed from the cabinet on the directives of Imran Khan when he was informed that both of them were creating a forward bloc in the party against Mahmood Khan.

The May 9 violence in the country put the PTI in trouble. Since Pervez Khattak and Asad Qaiser were also close to Imran Khan, that’s why he sent both of them to the establishment for talks to resolve issues with the military leadership.

Their meeting lasted for hours and Pervez Khattak and Asad Qaiser in the middle of the night appeared to hold a press conference and condemned the May 9 violence. He later disassociated himself from PTI but despite pressure Asad Qaiser chose to stay with Imran Khan.

Pervez Khattak in July 2023 convened a meeting in which he invited PTI’s former parliamentarians to announce joining his new party.

Khattak enjoyed the support of the establishment as it was believed he could bring PTI’s electables to PTIP. He had initially claimed to have brought around 70 former parliamentarians from PTI to PTIP, but majority of them who had attended the inaugural meeting in Peshawar later denied his claim.

PTIP has found only 31 people to contest election on PTIP ticket for the National Assembly. Similarly in KP, where Pervez Khattak is confident of forming his government, his party has allotted tickets to only 65 candidates in the 115-member assembly.

Khattak will need the support of 73 members in the assembly to become the chief minister.

Mansoor Ali Durrani, spokesman for PTIP, argued that the majority of the PTI candidates contesting as independent contenders had promised to join Pervez Khattak after the election. “PTIP is the youngest political party and we didn’t have enough time to campaign and find good candidates. However, the majority of PTI candidates contesting independently have promised to support Pervez Khattak after the election,” he claimed.

He said they had fielded candidates in major places but they would mostly focus on Nowshera and Swat where two of their leaders were contesting elections.

Pervez Khattak had initially visited major parts of the province to garner support from PTI former parliaments but after he could not succeed, he and his PTIP had started focusing on Nowshera and Swat, the hometown of Mahmood Khan.

Nowshera has two National Assembly seats and five provincial assembly constituencies, and all the party tickets were allotted to Pervez Khattak, his two sons and a son-in-law to contest the elections. Pervez Khattak himself is contesting for NA-33 and PK-87 and PK-88.

His son-in-law Dr Imran Khattak, who also won election on PTI ticket in 2018, was allotted PTIP ticket for NA-35 and PK-89. His two sons, Ibrahim Khattak and Ismail Khattak, are running for PK-85 and PK-86 respectively.

Pervez Khattak is first time facing his brother, Liaqat Khattak on PK-87, and nephew Ahad Khattak on PK-88. Besides his brother and nephew, Khattak is also facing tough competition from PTI candidates.

Compared to Pervez Khattak, Mahmood Khan is stated to have a strong position in his native Swat, where he is competing for the national and provincial assemblies.

Both of them had spent heavy funds during the PTI government. Khattak publicly challenged Imran Khan and has started criticizing his former leader.

But Mahmood Khan has adopted a completely different approach. Though he parted ways with Imran Khan, he never criticized him.