PTI to undergo organisational changes

Chairman secretariat will be shifted due to financial considerations, party will undergo provincial reorganisation

LAHORE: After going through an organisational crisis, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) now encounters a financial crisis. The PTI chairman secretariat situated in Garden Town has been evacuated after the rent due of a few months was not paid on time.

The PTI has gained a new office in the city, a place with lesser rent in Canal View Housing Society. The dues of the Garden town building will be paid from the account of PTI central organisation.

Moreover, prior to Eid holidays, the Punjab provincial organisation will be announced. For the Presidency of Punjab chapter of PTI Aijaz Chaudhry is being termed a favourite. In 2015, Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar (current Governor Punjab) was made the chief organiser of PTI after which he gained 4 kanals of land in Garden Town on rent for Imran Khan’s Lahore visits, activities in Lahore and other organisational activities. He called the premises ‘Chairman Secretariat’.

For beautification of this office, Sarwar and a few other party leaders provided funds. When Sarwar was changed from the position of chief organiser, then general secretary Jahangir Tareen took control of the chairman secretariat and until a few months, Tareen kept paying the rent of this place. In 2016 Abdul Aleem Khan was made the Punjab Central Organiser and he took responsibility for the place’s expenses and as of July 2018, continued to do so.

It has been known that after the elections the chairman secretariat was handed over to organisational position holders and due to financial constraints, the rent of the building was getting affected. At the time when Umar Dar was made the President of Punjab Central region, it was expected from him that he will clear the dues of chairman secretariat and will undertake the responsibility of future expenses as well. However Umar Dar didn’t take this responsibility.

When the premises were rented out, about six months’ rent was submitted in advance which has been adjusted into rent due to non-payment but even then the rent of many months is left unpaid. The initial monthly rent of this place on 4 kanals was Rs1 million which was increased to Rs1.3 million afterward while millions were spent on the salary of staff and utility bills of the place.

Due to these costs, PTI began shifting from this building and acquired a three-kanal building in Canal View Housing Society which charges a lesser rent. PTI’s central committee was requested to pay the due pending of the chairman secretariat and now the central organisation decided it will clear this amount.

Moreover, PTI’s Chief Organiser Saifullah Niazi and Secretary General Irshad Dad decided to announce the organisation of all provinces prior to Eid holidays.

A senior PTI leader told The Express Tribune that political parties are strong in their opposition tenure. He added that the party is made because everyone is struggling. However, when the government is made important leaders go into the government and their connection with the party weakens.

He explained that during the tenure of government in organisation building of political parties, candidates are selected through a certain procedure but as soon as the government ends, the MNAs, MPAs, ministers and other position holders again occupy the important organisational positions.

“This political behavior is the reason why this line of thinking prevails in the PTI workers and leaders that there is no importance of organisational position in party’s government tenure.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22^nd, 2019.