PESHAWAR – The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has removed provincial Irrigation Minister Liaqat Khattak from the cabinet in the wake of the defeated of PTI candidate in by-election on PK-63 constituency in Nowshera district.
According to an official notification issued on Saturday, the KP governor – under the powers conferred on him under Article 132 of the Constitution – has de-notified Liaqat as minister. Advisor to Chief Minister for Information Kamran Bangash, while talking to media, also confirmed the removal saying Liaqat has been removed violating the party discipline and supporting the opposition party’s candidate in the by-election in Nowshera.
Earlier on Friday, the PDM candidate, Ikhtiar Wali Khan, hailing from PML-N, won the by-election for PK-63, Nowshera. The seat had fallen vacant after the death of PTI MPA Mian Jamsheduddin Kakakhel due to Covid-19. The PTI had awarded ticket to Mian Mohammad Umar Kakakhel, the son of the deceased lawmaker, to contest the by-election. His defeat was a setback for the PTI and for Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, who had campaigned personally for the party candidate.
Meanwhile, local sources said the defeat of PTI candidate and win of the PML-N candidate was celebrated at the Hujra of Liaqat Khattak on Saturday. Liaqat Khattak had reportedly developed differences with his brother Pervez Khattak, the incumbent defence minister. Liaqat Khattak and his son Ahad Khattak had started forming their own group in the PTI in Nowshera district after developing differences with Pervz Khattak over choice of candidates for elections in the area.
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