PTI intra-party elections to be held for women, youth

Action taken against party members for violating code of conduct

PESHAWAR: Intra-party elections will be held for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s women and youth wings in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, an official of the party’s provincial election commission told The Express Tribune on Wednesday.

The development comes a day after the commission decided to take action against two candidates for intra-party elections – MPA Gul Sahib Khan Khattak and Chitral district coordinator Muhammad Qasim – who violated the code of conduct by organising campaigns and conventions.

According to the officials, the verification process for members from these wings who will contest these elections has started across the province. “Action has also been taken on complaints received from different districts regarding the registration of fake members for the polls,” he added.

Amid deliberations

An insider privy to the development told The Express Tribune, intra-party polls would be held on general seats. These will be held across the country on April 25. “However, the commission had not decided to hold elections for youth and women wings,” he said. “After a long discussion, they finally decided to conduct the polls.”

About the decision to take action against Khattak and Qasim, the insider said similar violations had taken place but the commission had turned a blind eye to the matter.

“Khalid Masood and Shaukat Yousafzai, candidates for the provincial president slot, organised conventions in their areas,” he said. “A large number of people attended them. Fazal Khan, another candidate, displayed banners in different areas.”

He added, “The commission was silent on these violations and no action was taken against these candidates.”

Phase-wise

Sahibzada Hassan Khan, the spokesperson for PTI K-P’s election commission, confirmed the decision to hold elections for the party’s women and youth wings. “So far, the date has not been decided for intra-party election for these wings,” he said. “But the election on the women, youth and general seats would take place on a phase-wise basis.”

He added PTI’s provincial election commissioner Rustam Shah Momand has issued a show-cause notice to Gul Sahib Khan Khattak for violating campaigning rules.  “The commission has also terminated Qasim for violating the code of conduct,” he added.

Verification

Farrukh Dar, central spokesperson for PTI’s intra-party elections, said the verification of members has started.

“We have received several complaints from different districts about registering fake members to increase votes,” he said. “We are collecting data and verifying memberships.”

According to Dar, those who violate the code of conduct for the intra-party elections would be de-notified. “PTI’s agenda is clear and there is no relaxation for violators,” he said. “Khattak used a government helicopter for campaigning while Qasim organised a convention and was subsequently removed [from the office].”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 10^th, 2016.