Pervez Khattak's brother removed from KP cabinet after PTI's setback in PK-63 by-poll

• Liaquat Khattak was serving as Minister for Irrigation
• He was inducted into the provincial cabinet in April 2019
• KP govt spokesperson Kamran Bangash says Liaquat Khattak was removed by chief minister after taking PM Imran Khan into confidence 

Following the a setback in the Nowshera by-poll for PTI, with unofficial results showing a victory for the PML-N, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Saturday removed Liaquat Khattak, the brother of Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak, from the provincial cabinet.

As per the notification issued, the governor of the province removed Liaquat Khattak under clause 3 of Article 132. He was holding the portfolio of the Minister for Irrigation.

“Liaquat Khattak was removed for supporting PML-N candidate in [by poll],” said Special Assistant to KP Chief Minister on Information Kamran Bangash.

Bangash claimed that CM Mahmood Khan removed Liaquat after carrying out an inquiry against him. He added that the minister was removed after taking advice from Prime Minister Imran Khan. 

The PTI lawmaker had won from the PK-64 Nowshera-IV seat in the 2018 General Elections after it was vacated by his elder brother (Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak).

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A year later, in April 2019, he was inducted into the KP cabinet as the irrigation minister.

On Friday, as per unofficial results, PML-N candidate Ikhtiar Wali Khan won the by-poll for the provincial assembly seat PK-63 Nowshera-III.

The PML-N candidate was reportedly backed by all the parties of the PDM except the Awami National Party (ANP), which fielded a candidate who fared poorly.

The PK-63 seat had fallen vacant after the death of PTI MPA Mian Jamsheduddin Kakakhel due to COVID-19.

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After the defeat, there were reports Liaquat Khattak had developed differences with his brother Pervez Khattak over the choice of the candidate for the seat.

This has led to reports suggesting that the minister did not take part actively in the campaign for the PTI.

According to a Dawn report, he had also expressed his frustration with the provincial government after he called himself a powerless minister at a public gathering in Nowshera days before the by-poll.