‘Unconditional’ support hard to find for PTI

Hamid Nasir Chattha, PML Like Minded want certain assurances.


Mohammed Rizwan January 10, 2012

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.

COMMENTS (23)

Amir Bajwa | 12 years ago | Reply

The real youth-led revolution for the first time in the history, all these feudals combine, and PTI is ready to bring revolution for the common man

Imran Swati | 12 years ago | Reply

As Khan is saying that he is the leader of youth and he is , then why he is not bringing the youth ??? Give 50% party tickets to the old party members/workers , 35% to the graduated youth and the remaining 15% to those who had joined the party now a days . I am hopeful that Khan and the party will do so and this will bring the real change Insha'ALLAH . And a request to Khan plz allow those who are changing their parties with a cause ( cause of nation not their personel cause ) for the first time and don't allow those who have changed parties .

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