The purpose of the debate, which will held at the Auquf auditorium today (Saturday), is to provide an opportunity to candidates to present their plans and policies for the party and the province. Party workers will also be given an opportunity to ask questions from the contestants.
PTI members will be given an orientation about electronic voting methods and how to cast a ‘smart vote’. They will also be briefed about the party’s election process.
Asad Qaiser, Pervaiz Khattak, Masood Sharif Khattak and Shoukat Yousafzai are contesting for the party’s provincial president seat, while former secretary information Saad Abdullah is the only candidate for the provincial general secretary.
PTI’s women’s wing leaders, however, will not been given a chance to present their views about problems related to women, former PTI women’s wing information secretary Esmat Khattak complained.
“I have tried to convince party leaders that women should be given a chance to present their policies and be more involved in the political system, but we will not be given that chance,” she said, adding that the debate session is a milestone in strengthening democratic norms within the party.
“The women’s wing has nothing to do with the debate session. Only the candidates contesting the election for important party offices will take part,” said Abdullah.
Highlighting the importance of the pre-poll debate, he added that workers will get an idea about the ability and leadership qualities of candidates.
The province has been divided into four regions for the intra-party provincial elections to be held in mid-December. The party’s Central Election Commission will look after the entire process to ensure fair and transparent elections.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th, 2012.
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A big leap forward in Pakistani towards democracy in political party. It is indeed a dawn of a new era. Others should work toward it to bring genuine leadership that represent public from grass root and give chance to new people.