Intra-democracy: PTI’s elections to be held from November 2

PESHAWAR:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader and former senator Qazi Mohammad Anwar said that the PTI will hold intra-party elections in the first week of November. The elections will be held from the union council (UC) to the tehsil level, beginning with Islamabad.

“We will be in a better position to conduct party elections after the voters list is complete. The list is yet to be completed in Balochistan and Sindh,” Anwar told a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club on Saturday.

Elections will be held after Eidul Azha, probably from November 2, he said. About 7.5 million registered voters are expected to vote for candidates contesting for UC and district-level party portfolios, he added.

The voter lists will also be posted on the party’s website.

Any candidate found employing unfair means to influence the elections will be disqualified. Special attention will be given to make sure money is not distributed among party workers to buy their vote. Anwar said that candidates will not be allowed to contest under any specific panel.

In K-P, 0.5 million voters are registered with the party, including those who registered through the SMS service. Elections will commence from DI Khan and Lakki Marwat.

Elections committees have been set up in the province’s 23 districts with the exception of Torghar, where internal issues have kept the party from the district.

A seven-day schedule will be announced to file nomination papers in the province. They will be scrutinised within two days following the deadline.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 21^st, 2012.