PMLN, PTIP weigh options to work jointly for KP’s uplift

PESHAWAR: In a major development in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s politics, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Parliamentarians (PTIP) have decided to work together to bring in development projects and improve worsening law and order in the province.

The decision was taken during a meeting between PMLN provincial President Amir Muqam, who is Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs, and PTIP Chairman Mahmood Khan in Islamabad.

There were reports that Amir Muqam had invited former chief minister Mahmood Khan and his colleagues to join the PMLN.

“Mahmood Khan said they will consult party members on the development. However, he agreed that the two sides should stay in touch,” Amir Muqam told The News when reached for comments.

He said the meeting agreed on a joint strategy to counter Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Upon his arrival from China, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to invite Mahmood Khan to a meeting in Islamabad.

In the past, Amir Muqam and Mahmood Khan had bitter political differences when the latter was affiliated with PTI.

Though Amir Muqam belongs to Shangla, Swat has always been the centre of his political activities.

Sources in the PTI claimed that Mahmood Khan had made overtures to rejoin his old party but he couldn’t succeed due to opposition from certain party leaders.

After quitting PTI, former chief minister Pervez Khattak formed their own faction of PTI along with Mahmood Khan.

Unlike Mahmood Khan, Pervez Khattak used to criticise PTI founding chairman Imran Khan by holding him responsible for the problems facing the country.

When asked that after quitting PTI Mahmood Khan had neither criticised PTI nor Imran Khan, a senior PTI leader said: “Mahmood Khan may not have spoken against Imran Khan, but he attended the political gatherings where Pervez Khattak would use to lambaste the PTI founding chairman.”

Meanwhile, Mahmood Khan said they met with a PMLN delegation after a meeting with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders in Islamabad.

He added that the PMLN delegation included Federal Minister Amir Muqam, Member National Assembly Dr Fazal Chaudhry and others. 

PTIP Secretary General Habib Noor, central spokesperson Mansoor Durrani along with other senior leaders accompanied Mahmood Khan in the meeting.

He said the meeting discussed the current political and law and order situation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 

PTIP later also issued a statement about the meeting with PMLN.

It stated that PMLN leaders expressed the desire to form an alliance with PTIP and conveyed a special message from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for working together. 

“The PMLN leaders stated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is keen to meet with PTIP Chairman Mahmood Khan upon his return from China. On this occasion, Mahmood Khan thanked the PMLN delegation and said that doors for communication and meetings should always remain open in politics,” the PTIP stated.

Mahmood Khan said that as a political party, PTIP believed in political dialogue and to work for the welfare of the people.

He informed PMLN leadership about the concerns of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following a recent decision of the federal government to halt funds for 91 development projects in KP. 

Mahmood Khan requested the delegation to convey his message to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to restore funds for the projects in KP.

He said that after contacts from PMLN and PPP, the decision to form an alliance with any of the political parties would be conditional upon consultation with the party leaders and workers.

He emphasized that any decision on forming a political alliance would be based on the party's stance.

Mahmood Khan and other party leaders lost the election against the PTI candidates. However, two of his party's candidates managed to win election for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.