Niaz Ullah Khan Niazi, who presided over Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) intra-party elections, has dismissed criticism from Akbar S. Babar regarding the polls.
Niazi stated that Babar is still a member of the party but he did not attempt to contest the election despite being on the voter list. He mentioned that only candidates who won unopposed had filed nomination papers, and Babar had not made an effort to do so.
Niazi denied trying to sabotage the elections and accused Babar of attempting to create hype. He suggested that if Babar had approached him directly, the issue could have been resolved.
Niazi expressed confidence that PTI would continue to contest elections using the traditional bat symbol, despite claims of being pushed out of general elections.
Barrister Gohar Khan was elected as PTI’s new chairman in the intra-party election held in Peshawar. In response, Akbar S. Babar criticized the elections, describing them as a farce and questioning the concept of caretakers in the party’s constitution.
Unidentified Armed Men Attack Bus in Chilas, Gilgit Baltistan, Killing Nine and Injuring 26
Meanwhile, at least nine were killed and 26 injured when unidentified armed men opened fire on a bus in Chilas city of Gilgit Baltistan on Saturday, an official said.
Deputy Commissioner of Diamer Arif Khan said that the passenger bus came under attack around 06:30 pm near the Hadur area while traveling on the Karakoram Highway.
The bus, en route from Ghizar district to Rawalpindi, carried passengers from various regions including Kohistan, Peshawar, Ghizer, Chilas, Skardu, and Sindh, adding a diverse dimension to the affected travelers. Arif Khan mentioned that following the attack, the bus ignited in flames and tragically collided with an oncoming cargo truck.
The ill-fated bus, identified by registration number BLN-4647, belonged to a private company. Shedding light on the aftermath, the Director Health of Diamer, Shakeel Khan, conveyed that the bodies of the deceased and the 26 injured were swiftly relocated to Chilas, marking the distressing consequences of this heart-wrenching incident.
