A former district vice president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Dir Lower and one of the party’s founding members Nusrat Begum quit her parent party and formally joined Awami National Party (ANP).

Nusrat Begum, 47, announced her decision at a press conference in Timargara Press Club on Wednesday.

Nusrat Begum who rose to prominence while being a lone female candidate of PTI from NA-34, Dir Lower district dominated by religious parties told the media that PTI Chairman Imran Khan has abandoned his party policy and hijacked by vested elements in the party ranks.

She noted that PTI did nothing for uplift and welfare of females in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as per party manifesto unfolded during 2013 elections.

Nusrat Begum said that she was feeling quite happy while leaving PTI as in PTI, she said, nobody was ready to listen to females’ problems, adding that in Dir Lower the females were subjected to discrimination by PTI.

She said the provincial government did not take any initiative in health and education sectors for women despite being in power for four years.

She regretted that she would not have wasted her time for four years in PTI if she could have known the intentions of PTI leadership earlier.

Expressing confidence in leadership of ANP, Nusrat Begum said that ANP believed in selfless services above party politics. She said in 2013 Senator Sitara Ayaz and Hina Rabbani Khar had decorated her with awards for fights for the rights of women. She announced to contest next general elections from ANP platform in 2018.

It is pertinent to mention here that PTI refused to give party ticket to Nursrat Begum in by-poll for NA-34 as promised with her by the party chairman Imran Khan and as such she contested as independent candidate against PTI candidate Bashir Khan Advocate.

Nusrat Begum, wife of Karim Khan, is the first woman in Lower Dir ever to pick up courage and decide to contest elections.