PTI facing grouping in DG Khan district From Hasnain Qaisrani DERA GHAZI KHAN: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is facing grouping in Dera Ghazi Khan district, and its district organiser has been suspended over “improper distribution of tickets”. Also, said sources, a large number of the PTI ticket-aspirants are now contesting the LG polls in DG Khan as independent candidates. The PTI had performed very well in the district in the last general elections. Though the party failed to win any of the two urban locality seats, one for the National Assembly and the other for the Punjab Assembly, yet it proved really a tough contest and the winners won the polls with narrow margins. Later on, in the by-election in PP-243, the PTI succeeded in grabbing the seat. Sardar Ahmed Ali Khan Dareshak was elected as an MPA against Sardar Hassamuddin Khan Khosa of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N). There were also rumours that the PTI candidate was supported by Legharis of the PML-N, though the allegation was rejected by veteran politician and a senior leader of the PML-N. Now apparently, three PTI groups are in the field including Sardar Mohammad Saifuddin Khan Khosa, Sardar Ahmed Ali Khan Dareshak and Zartaj Gul, with serious differences between the former two leaders over distribution of party tickets. It is alleged that being the district organiser, Sardar Ahmed Ali Dareshak ignored the party ticket-seekers, recommended by Sardar Saifuddin Khosa. The rift could also be assessed from the fact that for the last couple of months, Sardar Aatif Dareshak, the younger brother of Sardar Ahmed Ali Dareshak, managed to display posters, banners and wall-chalking in his favour in NA-173, as the contestant for General Elections 2018. The area is considered to be native constituency of Sardar Saifuddin Khosa. The factor is creating differences between the two Sardars. The suspension of MPA Sardar Ahmed Dareshak as the PTI district organiser by his party has demoralised the party workers. According to independent observers, the youth considered to be the strength of the PTI are missing from the scene. One of the leading groups in DG Khan city, affiliated with the PTI, is disappointed at the grouping and internal rifts, and did not seem ready to play an active role in electioneering. Apart from DG Khan and Kot Chutta tehsil, PTI Taunsa Sharif chapter, led by former MNA Khawja Shiraz Mehmood, is facing contestants of the PML-N. The observers believe that the PTI would be facing hard times if the issues pertaining to dominance of various groups are not resolved timely.
