Nomination of Senate candidates plunges PPP KP into crisis

The nomination of candidate for Senate polls plunged PPP Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa into crisis as devoted party workers included former candidates for National Assembly have joined the rebellion group. PPP has nominated four candidates for the upcoming Senate polls from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa included spokesman to President Asif Ali Zardari, Farhatullah Khan Babar, Ahmad Hassan Khan, Shamroz Khan Jadoon and Rubina Khalid.
The party workers included its provincial secretary general, Dost Mohammad Khan, secretary information, Ayub Shah have openly come out to criticise the decision of the party leadership. The rebellion party workers say that genuine, dedicated party and provincial metropolis had been ignored in the awarding of tickets for the Senate polls.
The party has nominated candidates from Malakand, Hazara and Peshawar Divisions. Those who have been awarded tickets are renowned party stalwarts and their loyalty is not only clear to the party leadership, but also the common men of the province. Ahmad Hassan Khan is a former member National Assembly and had twice returned to the provincial assembly on party ticket and has great respect of party workers in Malakand Division.
Similarly, Shamroz Khan Jadoon is also a senior party leader from Hazara and was a former provincial minister while Farhatullah Babar had always remained closed to Bhuttos and now to President Asif Ali Zardari. PPP in Senate polls, 2003 succeeded in electing him as Senator, but failed in his re-election as out of 10 party MPAs only one voted for him in 2006.
The ticket on women reserve seat had been awarded to Rubina Khalid, the widow of late renowned drama writer and artiste, Khalid Rauf. She is the sister of former provincial president PPP, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and sitting provincial minister for health, Syed Zahir Ali Shah. She was a student activist of the party and has passed LL.B. with distinction from the Law College of the University of Peshawar.
Though a strong group of party workers had come out against the decision demanding review of awarding party tickets, but so far the central leadership has given no response and standing by its decision.
According to party sources a total of 59 candidates included some two sitting members of National Assembly, Lal Mohammad Khan and Najmuddin Khan have filed nominations for the Senate ticket. However, the parliamentary board headed by Faryal Talpur, sister of President, Asif Ali Zardari, after interviewing all candidates awarded tickets to those who were favoured by members of the provincial assembly from the divisions concerned.
According to sources in parliamentary party, MPAs from Malakand Division had unanimously recommended the name of Ahmad Hassan Khan. Inside sources in party said that the nominations of Ahmad Hassan Khan were submitted by the legislators from the region. Ahmad Hassan is known as honest and clean politician in Malakand Division. He had served the people and party in capacity as member National Assembly, provincial minister and district nazim.
The MPAs from Malakand Division challenged the opponents for proving a single case of corruption against their nominee, pointing out that Ahmad Hasan had no personal house in Peshawar nor a car and other resources despite the fact that he had served as provincial minister for law and parliamentary affairs, district nazim and deputy speaker in the past.
Similarly, the members also challenged the dissidents to present a better candidate than Farhatullah Babar on the technocrat seat. Babar and the nominee on women seat, Robina Khalid.
Dispelling the impression that Peshawar had been ignored, they argued that Federal Minister Dr Arbab Alamgir, his wife Asma Alamgir, Speaker Kiramatullah Khan and Minister for Health Zahir Ali Shah, all belong to Peshawar.
Terming it a tussle for perks, privileges and positions, the members suggested to the activists to accept the parliamentary board decision, prove their loyalty to the party and its leadership instead of promoting the politics of blackmailing and horse-trading in the coming Senate election.