ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has taken back the Senate ticket previously awarded to Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) Abdul Qadir, after the decision received flak from the party’s leaders.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill, in a tweet, said that the party had reversed its decision and now the Balochistan ticket had been allotted to Zahoor Agha.
“The kaptaan (skipper) always listens to his people’s voice,” the prime minister’s aide added. The party issued the final list of its candidates today (Saturday) for the upcoming Senate elections after approval by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
بلوچستان سے سینیٹ کا ٹکٹ قادر صاحب سے واپس لے کر ظہور آغا کو جاری کیا جا رہا ہے۔ کپتان ہمیشہ اپنے پارٹی ورکر کی آواز سنتا ہے۔
— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) February 13, 2021
The Parliamentary Board finalised 20 names for Senate tickets. Several big names, including Babar Awan, Shahzad Akbar, Amir Mughal and Sajjad Turi could not make the final cut for the March 3 Senate polls.
From Balochistan, the name of Abdul Qadir (a PTI-BAP joint candidate) was approved for a general seat. The decision was met with heavy opposition by PTI members. A press conference was held by the regional presidents of PTI Balochistan.
“The party has issued a ticket for the Senate to a man named Abdul Qadir, who has nothing to do with the party,” regional president Nawab Khan said.
