![pti starts intra party poll to rid politics of family controls pti starts intra party poll to rid politics of family controls](https://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/467859-imran-1353268004.jpg)
Kick-starting a new era in national politics, over 62,000 voters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday exercised their right to choose around 500 party leaders for the federal capital in the country’s first-ever “democratic intra-party elections”.
According to an official statement, over 70% voters participated in the process through cell phones and text messages.
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Around 41 polling stations were established across Islamabad to facilitate those voters who either didn’t have access to cell phones or did not know how to vote through the gadgets.
The voting process will continue till 12:00 am on Monday while the results would be announced in the afternoon by PTI’s Chief Election Commissioner Hamid Khan.
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PTI Chairman Imran Khan congratulated party workers for taking part in the first-ever intra-party elections using modern technology and said that PTI would get rid of the “family control” system in political parties and now the voters will choose their own leaders through a “transparent system of voting”.
“This is a historic day. PTI workers have laid the foundation of change and a new Pakistan will emerge from these polls... the will of the people would prevail and there would be no place for political monarchs.
“This is the real change and this process would continue till the time people see their true leaders taking over from the coterie of the corrupt,” Imran said.
Prominent PTI leaders, including Javed Hashmi, Shafqat Mahmood and Ayla Malik, visited different polling stations in the federal capital. “The PTI expresses gratitude to its workers who are choosing their representatives in Islamabad today [Sunday],” said Mahmood.
However, he told The Express Tribune that problems were faced due to a suspension of cellular services by the government. “Some voters informed us that they could not caste their votes due to network problems,” he added.
“Since phone lines were not responding so I tried cell phones but that did not work either due to network problems or due to some conspiracy,” said Mohammad Zaman, a voter at the G-9 Markaz polling station.
Party Information Secretary Shafqat Mehmood said the PTI had conducted real elections in the party and “this is not a drama”.
“Though we don’t have the resources that a government enjoys, yet we have installed a mechanism to allow over seven million PTI voters to take part in intra-party polls,” he added.
PTI is planning to replicate the process in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa by December 15, followed by Sindh and Punjab. “Intra-party elections will be completed by the end of 2012 at all costs,” Mehmood told The Express Tribune.
However, Khan’s party has already postponed intra-party elections for Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan till next year because the party has yet to establish offices in these regions.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 19th, 2012.
COMMENTS (49)
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Imran You have Activated Your opposition by the fright of showing big crowds... in your meetings held by you in all towns It will be now to recrute a large numbers of youths who are your active members to go around your area electoral zones and start convessing for the next 3 or 4 months before the next election. and your workers have a major role to convence voters that they should use their votes to bring about change that we all want.
An Urgent Youth P.T.I group should be established,of educated and well informed people who should be given a clear ajenda by the P.T.I election committee,fully functioning before the election, with one group leader,for each zone and each sector of the country.This is what was done at the height of chinese Revolutionof mauo,s. The practical act of bringing true change of policy from aims to action a reality.
Trying to bring a drastic Change in the existing political system requires very hard work and effords by all your supporters and a goodwill to bring about this enrmous change in system from family dominated to individualy voter based system,a difficult mandate,visualised.
@gp65: 62000 is the number of total register voters of pti in islmabad. turnout was 51% (around 30000)
@Ch. Allah Daad:
"In Pakistan, where majority of people cannot read and write"
Thanks to the parties that you support, they cannot read and right, and our literacy rate is that low after 65 years.
Excellent step.
VOTE FOR PTI...
@saima siddiqi: That was a good one. You are funny :)
@Ch. Allah Daad
Bhai, I see you missed the bit about 41 polling stations. Never mind...but sometimes I wonder if you actually read an article before commenting....or are you like Nawaz Sharif who comments without thinking? ;)
Actually, this is nothing new....PMLN have already had party elections for thier top leadership slot.
I remember discussing with my husband who we should vote for as leader of PMLN....there were three choices on the ballot paper and it was a tough decision to choose between, "Nawaz Sharif", "Mr.Nawaz Sharif" and "Mian Sahib". In the end we voted for "Mr.Nawaz Sharif" :)
I suport imran khan.
I suport the great imran khan. . .the only hope. . .
I think having even 50,000 members in Islamabad is substantial. These are the people who are members and would definitely vote (if they have voted now). Just imagine how many dedicated voters are there for other parties. Few thousands in a constituency! I think 90% of the people can vote to any party in their wing (right, left). For urban areas like Islamabad, there is high chance for PTI to take a landslide victory, if they are able to raise casting by 10-20% and do not make a blunder in coming months. For me the best for PTI is not to mess up with other parties, be polite, humble, silent, and do the basics right (as that of this step).
Ok but what about other cities! How we can contribute in intra party elections!
In Pakistan, where majority of people cannot read and write, PTI is using modern gadgets for voting purposes and those too not in real polling stations under supervision of real persons. What other proof we need that this digital party and its voters are not a reality.
Daring initiative by PTI. Bravo
Topi Drama
He is a man of his words and he has proved this on multiple occasions. So, there is a reason to vote for him. Hopefully he will deliver after wining the election what he promises now
@ Born Political:
Mr. Ali has replied to your point. However, can PMLN (ever) hold such free and fair, technically sound, elections...?? Or they can just have a grand event in which Nawaz is nominated as their Cheif, and other Shareefs get good hold on Party's positions..???
@Born Political: Its registerd members not voters. PTi talk about registerd members of Party .
Btw, Total registered voters in Islamabad in elections 2008 were 481,000, If 88,000 are PTI members as per their official stats, that constitutes 18% of overall registered voters, which is alarmingly low (I take bold assumption of no increase in registered voters).
Also, In 2008, PMLN got 61480 votes from NA-48 and 45482 from NA-49 (These are Islamabad constituencies) which makes 107,000 votes. Mind you, Islamabad is one of most educated cities with vibrant youth there. Time to think for PTI policy members.
@Sane Voice: Do you ever bet on something optimistic? The most pessimistic SANE VOICE ever. :) Get a life buddy & appreciate the bold step. Also ask your own party leaders to stage such dramas if they think its easy.
unboubetdly a real democracy starts its journey............. well done Imran Khan. hmari duain aap k sath hain. inshallah ALLAh will help u. we ll be successful.
@gp65: Islamabad is a small city with just one NA seat.
@Sane Voice: Nops..JI has never held elections @ UC level. It is.a fact that PTI is the only party which is holding elections @ UC level.
Excellent...
Historic day in the history pakistani politics. The world is watching.
Very god news indeed. Go PTI GO !!
Finally... The change is coming..!! I like it.
Excellent !! Only True Democracy within party can bring True Democracy in the country. All other parties are having some sort of dictatorship within the parties. 18th amendment in the constitution by PPP and PMLN has brought undemocratic laws by giving extra-ordinary powers to party presidents where party president can disqualify any of their provincial or parliament member, so giving lot of dictatorship powers to party presidents.
Love you Captain and Love you PTI.........
Vote for PTI, thats it !!!
Wowww.............I thank God for blessing us with a leader like Imran. If we will not support him at this stage. Trust me our new generations will never forgive us
First of all its not country's first ever democratic intra party elections..........as falsely claimed by PTI. JI regularly holds intra party elections and in a manner its is one of the very few parties without any family domination.
However, lets wait for the results............I bet majority of the mid and top tier office bearers will be the same "family oriented politicians"
PTI is trend setter. Will PML-N copy this.
Pakistan will change if Imran becomes the PM.
Now this is what is called "REAL CHANGE". Thanks ET for the headline.
Here we GO! Blind Haters can open their Eyes now...Feel the Change..!
Well come to real democrasy. Well come to PTI
Regardless of political affiliation I appreciate and congrate PTI for such a democratic move in the history of Pakistan.
When there is a will there is way.
Bravo Khan Sahib, this is what we want in Pakistan. Say no to Family Politics. Vote for Khan, Vote for Pakistan.
So if 62,000 voters equals 70% of voting then that means total number of eligible voters in Islamabad is approx. 88,000. Number seems small for a party with 10 million voters. Are the numbrs accurate?
Great work...keep it up, so finally tribune publishes this news with a heavy heart
Tabdeeli aa nahi rahi ... tabdeeli aa gai hai !!
Way to go. Great initiative and onus is on other parties to follow the same. Let us, THE PUBLIC, decide our representatives from grass root till the top.
A great step forward other parties should follow.
Excellent PTI... Really great step
Yeah, the "change" is around the corner. hope for PTI success
The real democracy begins now... A proud moment for PTI for doing another FIRST in the political history of Pakistan.
Congrats to Team PTI for keeping yet another promise. Way to GO!!!