PTI workers demand Senate ticket for Peshawar leader, announce protest
District Peshawar PTI workers reject ticket for Mirza Afridi replacing Irfan Saleem
PESHAWAR
Workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from Peshawar district have announced a protest and the siege of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Assembly on the day of the Senate elections. The protest comes in response to the exclusion of Irfan Saleem’s name from the list of Senate candidates.
Speaking at a press conference held at the Peshawar Press Club, PTI worker Rehman Jalal, accompanied by other party activists, said that Irfan Saleem’s name was unanimously approved by the district workers and leaders and forwarded to the Political Committee. The committee also endorsed his nomination. However, awhen the final list was submitted to party founder Imran Khan through Barrister Saif, Irfan Saleem’s name was omitted.
“This is a betrayal of the workers who have shed their blood for the party,” Jalal said. “Irfan Saleem will not withdraw his nomination papers under any circumstances. On one side are the loyal workers, and on the other, politicians who run their affairs through ATMs.”
He urged the party leadership to put aside internal differences and allow the Peshawar leadership to field Irfan Saleem in the upcoming Senate elections. Jalal alleged that Irfan Saleem is being threatened to withdraw, calling it “deeply regrettable.”
Ehtesham Malik, another PTI worker from Peshawar city, also addressed the media and vowed to resist any attempts at horse-trading. “We will support only those workers who stood firm during difficult times, including those who were injured during the D-Chowk protest,” he said. “It is unfortunate that while those who were shot on November 26 are being sidelined, individuals who defected on May 9 are being brought back and included in the list.”
He strongly opposed the inclusion of Mirza Afridi in the list of candidates, saying, “He left the party during its toughest period and should not be rewarded now.” The speakers warned that if Irfan Saleem is excluded, a sit-in will be staged outside the residence of every MPA. They also reiterated their plan to lay siege to the KP Assembly. According to them, they have the support of 13 to 15 MPAs.
They also called for Barrister Saif, whom they accused of having a “dubious character,” to be restrained from interfering in the internal matters of the KP government.
