Imran Khan postpones US fund-raising visit
Will lead the Gujranwala rally on Thursday.
LAHORE:
Imran Khan, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman, has postponed his scheduled two-week visit to the United States, said Shafqat Mehmood, the party’s central information secretary, on Tuesday.
“At a time when the political situation in the country is fluid and anything can happen anytime, it is better for the party chairman to stay in the country,” said Mehmood while talking to reporters.
He said Khan had postponed his plans to give impetus to the anti-government campaign against loadshedding and rising inflation. There were no meetings with US officials scheduled during the two-week trip, he said, adding that the visit had been planned to raise funds for the party and Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital. Khan will lead the Gujranwala rally on Thursday (tomorrow).
The party has recently finished its country-wide membership drive. Mehmood said that the party was hopeful that it would achieve the four million-member target it had set. Counting will start soon, said a party official. According to the PTI, it currently has 1.6 million members.
The party will start planning for intra-party elections after Ramazan. It has set up an election commission, headed by Justice (retired) Wajihuddin Ahmed. The members will choose office bearers and then elect candidates for the next elections.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 4th, 2012.
Imran Khan, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman, has postponed his scheduled two-week visit to the United States, said Shafqat Mehmood, the party’s central information secretary, on Tuesday.
“At a time when the political situation in the country is fluid and anything can happen anytime, it is better for the party chairman to stay in the country,” said Mehmood while talking to reporters.
He said Khan had postponed his plans to give impetus to the anti-government campaign against loadshedding and rising inflation. There were no meetings with US officials scheduled during the two-week trip, he said, adding that the visit had been planned to raise funds for the party and Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital. Khan will lead the Gujranwala rally on Thursday (tomorrow).
The party has recently finished its country-wide membership drive. Mehmood said that the party was hopeful that it would achieve the four million-member target it had set. Counting will start soon, said a party official. According to the PTI, it currently has 1.6 million members.
The party will start planning for intra-party elections after Ramazan. It has set up an election commission, headed by Justice (retired) Wajihuddin Ahmed. The members will choose office bearers and then elect candidates for the next elections.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 4th, 2012.