Imran names temporary successor

In a temporary arrangement to pre-empt any legal hurdle and retain a grip on the symbol ‘Bat’, jailed Imran Khan has opted out of the chairman slot race in the intra-party polls, putting the mantle forward for Barrister Gohar Ali Khan to assume.

PTI’s Senator Ali Zafar, addressing the media, made the announcement on Wednesday, revealing Imran Khan’s decision to abstain from the internal elections, clarifying that the former prime minister himself had proposed Barrister Gohar Ali Khan as his nominated successor to step in for him.

Barrister Zafar stated that the former premier would not participate in the elections till his conviction and subsequent disqualification in the Toshakhana cases were not overturned.

Reiterating the party's stance, he asserted a lawmaker could not be disqualified for failing to declare Toshakhana gifts. He added that even though the PTI chief’s conviction in the case had been suspended, a final decision was still awaited.

Zafar said that the party had to see if the ECP was going to take any “illegal” or “unconstitutional” step that could result in the party losing its popular bat symbol, or cancelling the nominations of the party’s candidates.

The PTI leader asserted that discussions were held with Imran Khan regarding various scenarios. Barrister Zafar reiterated Imran's stance, indicating the latter's determination to avoid providing the ECP with any pretext to strip the party of its symbol or nullify nominations in the upcoming general elections.

“The public is with us. We will win the elections when they happen. I want to take part in the general election. Intra-party polls hold no meaning for me. I want the Toshkahana case to be decided as soon as possible. When it is decided, I will contest intra-party polls as chairman,” the PTI leader quoted Imran as saying.

Zafar said that the party was holding intra-party elections on the ex-premier’s directives. As for the “caretaker chairman”, the PTI senator said that the names of several prominent personalities were suggested.

However, all had been given permanent positions in the party, and it would not have been respectful to give them a temporary position. “That is why we need someone who is not controversial and can play a role in this caretaker mode… this temporary arrangement,” he added.

Speaking of Barrister Gohar as the nominee for chairman, Zafar said that the lawyer was an appropriate pick for this “temporary arrangement”.

Read PTI gears up for intra-party polls sans Imran

Zafar maintained that Barrister Gohar’s nomination meant that this was no “minus-one formula”, or a coup. “He is Imran Khan’s own nominee,” he added.

“PTI is Imran Khan and Imran Khan is PTI. PTI is nothing without Imran Khan. It doesn’t matter who the chairman on paper is,” he said, adding that Imran Khan will always remain the party leader.

Gohar, while addressing the media, thanked Imran. He said he was "speechless" over the PTI chief nominating him in his stead. "I will handle the position, and hand it over to Imran when he returns," a teary-eyed Gohar stated.

The race for chairman
In a rather surprising development a day earlier, former prime minister Imran Khan was reported to have picked Barrister Gohar Khan as his candidate for the post of chairman in the intra-party polls – a role he has held since the party's formation over two decades ago.

The announcement came late in the day after much confusion and a sense of conflict creeping into the party’s talks, with unprecedented cracks emerging within its leadership regarding who will be given the reins of the slot.

Earlier in the afternoon, a legion of lawyers comprising Senator Ali Zafar, Barrister Gohar, Umair Niazi and Sher Afzal Khan Marwat met the incumbent PTI chairman at Adiala jail and told the media afterwards that the decision was taken by none other than Imran Khan that he would not be vying for the position of party chairman.

Marwat while talking to the media said that Imran would not be contesting for the party chairman’s slot because of his conviction in the Toshakhana case and subsequent disqualification, saying he can’t do it because of the legal hurdles.

“Khan himself has decided that he would not be contesting elections for the office of chairman PTI,” he said, adding that it was decided with mutual consent that he would be made PTI chairman again once the court matters are settled.

Read more ECP gives PTI 20-day ultimatum to hold intra-party polls

However, within hours, the party spokesperson issued a statement denying the same, saying that no decision has so far been taken to withdraw Imran Khan’s name from the election or to nominate any other leader for the slot.

While denying Marwat’s claim regarding Imran’s non-participation as chairman in the intra-party elections being conducted on the orders of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the spokesperson said that an official statement will be released when the party leadership reaches a conclusion on all important matters, including the holding of intra-party elections, date, procedure and selection of the candidates.