Party elections: PTI delays organisational structuring

No consensus over a strategy for intra party polls.


Zahid Gishkori March 26, 2012

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) has decided to delay its decision regarding the party’s organisational structure after the PTI Central Executive Committee failed to reach a unanimous consensus.

Party officials said the decision was taken during the executive committee’s meeting conducted to revamp the party’s constitutional document as per the recommendations of some its senior leaders.

PTI’s leadership will also deliberate over the party’s election process, which aims to centralise power from local offices and union councils. Sources say this is the party’s third consecutive meeting regarding the issue in which the leadership failed to chalk out and agree on a strategy to hold the party’s polls before the upcoming general elections.

A senior leader, requesting anonymity, said the PTI is unlikely to hold elections at the council level before the general elections.

The party has nominated pop singer Abrarul Haq as the president of PTI’s Youth Wing. The committee earlier opted for Javed Hashmi to be the party’s president, effectively making him second-in-command to chairperson Imran Khan.

Before this, Shah Mehmood Qureshi was the right-hand man of Imran, but he will now be third in the party’s hierarchy. Sources have revealed differences in the opinions of co-chairperson Qureshi and chairperson Imran Khan, but they have been denied by both leaders.

Imran, in his press conference on Sunday, said, “All the reservations of senior leaders have been addressed in a democratic fashion. We will hold the party elections at all costs.”

Imran said that elections for different office bearers will be held soon. “The different offices/positions will be decided within the next three months.”

He dispelled the impression that the elections would create rifts among the top leadership of the party.

The executive committee also finalised the schedule of the party’s membership campaign. The PTI claims to have inducted five to six million youth across the country in two months. The campaign is to be extended worldwide with overseas Pakistanis also allowed to participate in the party’s elections.

Imran said the party’s decision regarding its appointment of a chairperson, president, vice president and provincial leaders will be made through free and fair elections. “The PTI is a democratic party and its leaders will be chosen thorough a democratic process.”

Imran reiterated that all members would declare their assets before applying for a party ticket.

He added that he would introduce a local government system if he came to power so that “local political leaders could help to eradicate corruption at the grass-roots level.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26th, 2012.

COMMENTS (52)

Ch Allah Daad | 12 years ago | Reply

He has called everyone in the camp but hesitating to announce playing eleven. He knows once he does that, rest will run away to other camps. Smart move but trust in his ability is hurt.

Euler_89 | 12 years ago | Reply

@Azmat: This appointment is temporary. IK just wants an interim setup so that business as usual is not put on hold. During PTI elections, you can vote for whomever you think deserves the position!

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