‘Unconditional’ support hard to find for PTI

Hamid Nasir Chattha, PML Like Minded want certain assurances.

LAHORE:


The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) central executive committee will have to make some difficult decisions at its January 14 meeting in Lahore.


It is to decide whether or not, or under what conditions, it will accept politicians willing to join the party, according to an office-holder who wished to remain anonymous. Some of the big wigs have asked for certain assurances – that all their group members be accepted into the party and that they be given a party ticket to contest general elections from a constituency of their choice – said the party official.


He said that Imran Khan had directed that a committee be formed to vet the candidates.

The Pakistan Muslim League (Like Minded) is ready to join the party but only as a group, a condition the chairman is not very keen on accepting, said the source, adding that Khan wanted them to join the party “unconditionally”. Former National Assembly speaker Hamid Nasir Chattha wants a guarantee that he will be given a party ticket from Wazirabad, according to the official. “Chattha’s political rival, Ghulam Sarwar Cheema, has already joined the PTI. Chattha wants an assurance that he will be the one who gets the party ticket,” the official said.

Everybody is expecting early elections and wants a quick answer, said the official. He also hinted at one of Nawaz Sharif’s very close aides, “who was a member of PPP-PML-N coalition cabinet”, joining the PTI.

According to the source, Mian Ashfaq and Mian Farhan Latif of the Chenab Group in Toba Tek Singh; former MNA Qurban Ali Chohan and his son from Vehari; the Rai’s from Chichawatni; and Shafi Jamot from Karachi are all in talks with the party.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 11th, 2012.
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