Intra-party polls: Sarwar says he is not quitting PTI

PTI Punjab organiser is in UK to launch autobiography

LAHORE: With only a day left before party offices are to be dissolved ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) intra-party elections, Chaudhry Sarwar on Wednesday dismissed reports that he had left the party.

Sarwar, who is currently in England, issued an official statement, denying reports he had left the PTI.

Following media reports that Sarwar intended to leave the party, the PTI leader took to the social media to deny them. In a tweet, Sarwar stated that he was still with the PTI. He further added that “false rumours” should be ignored.

Later on Wednesday evening, the PTI chairman’s secretariat, currently the office of the party’s Punjab organiser, issued an official statement denying rumors of Sarwar having quit the party. “I am in the PTI and I will remain in the PTI,” the statement cited Sarwar as saying. It added that he did not intend to leave the party. “The PTI is a democratic party. All decisions are taken in consultation with the workers and leaders. The people of Pakistan are supporting Imran Khan for change,” it added.

“The PTI has become Pakistan’s largest political party due to its core values and by protecting interests of common people. I joined the party to bring change to the democratic system of the country and to the lives of the people. It is a matter of pride for me to be part of the PTI, a party which is striving to bring a change to Pakistan,” Sarwar said.

Sarwar is in the run for the office of party’s Punjab president in the upcoming intra-party polls. He left for England on January 10 to launch his autobiography focusing on his life as Britain’s first Muslim MP. He is expected to return to the country on January 16.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 14^th, 2016.