Suspension: Leaking party info intolerable, says Imran

PTI chief warns party membership could be suspended

ISLAMABAD:

After the surprising media revelation about the rigging allegations in intra-party elections, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan has come up with a stern action, warning immediate suspension of a party leader or worker if found guilty of such irresponsible and damaging behaviour.

“No matter how senior a position he/she holds, party will not tolerate any internal matter or document being discussed or released to the media by anyone,” he made the remark in a statement issued by the PTI.

While further elaborating, the statement said, “Imran made clear that as of today, any party member including the leadership found leaking out or deliberately making public any internal matters/documents dealing with internal party affairs would be immediately suspended and proceeded against.”

Imran expressed anger over the recent leakages of documents and statements relating to the election tribunal. He condemned media revelation of a confidential communication sent on his behalf by his chief of staff to the tribunal,” it added.

According to the details, the PTI chairman had taken action over sharing of the report, compiled by justice (retd) Wajihuddin Ahmed over allegations of rigging in intra-party elections, in which it was proposed that all elected bodies of the party be dissolved.

Once the information reached the media, it left the PTI with no option but to take action in line with the recommendations, an insider said.

On March 22, PTI’s core committee discussed the findings of the report and dissolved all the elected bodies.

In addition, Umar Sarfraz Cheema had written a letter asking for removal of party’s chief election commissioner Hamid Khan on March 22. That letter too was leaked to the media, though Cheema denies his role.

On the other hand, Cheema who was appointed as spokesperson for Imran Khan had been removed from his office. He had served as information secretary of the party and recently made a comeback after a couple of years.

Similarly, Imran Khan took serious note of the show cause notice served to a senior party leader being made public.

Party poll

Meanwhile, the PTI chairman thanked Justice retired Wajihuddin and Yusuf Gabol for their painstaking work on the intra-party election petitions and appointed former secretary interior Tasnim Noorani as PTI chief election commissioner. Noorani had replaced Hamid Khan and would enjoy full powers, said the statement.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 25^th, 2015.