LAHORE:
The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has postponed the shifting of its central secretariat from Islamabad to Lahore despite having rented a bungalow, owing to differences among second tier leaders, The Express Tribune has learnt.
Offices for the party chairperson, the vice chairperson, the president and other key leaders have already been set up. The PTI central office in Lahore was scheduled to be operational in the second week of December, a key party leader requesting anonymity said.
Imran Khan was scheduled to be available in this office four days a week to lead the campaign for upcoming general elections.
The New Muslim Town bungalow was rented in early November. A year’s rent was paid in advance. Partition of the floor space work and installation of electronic equipment had been completed till the second week of December, he said.
He said two groups had emerged within the party meanwhile. One represented Lahore and the other the Punjab. Ahsan Rasheed and Mehmoodur Rasheed were leading the groups, he said.
He said the head of one group had finalised the bungalow deal. The other group had objected to it, proposing another bungalow on Upper Mall. The party was therefore forced to put on hold the establishment of the central office.
The party central secretariat is still working from Islamabad. It would eventually be converted into a regional office and all party activities would be supervised from Lahore, another senior PTI leader told The Express Tribune.
He said that shifting of the PTI central secretariat would change the political dimensions of the party. He said Lahore had always been the hub of activities of almost all major parties except the PPP.
Central Information Secretary Shafqat Mehmood said the matter was not in his knowledge. Sooner or later, the central office would be established in Lahore, he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 29th, 2012.
COMMENTS (23)
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@Mohammad Assad: how dumb are you? why would anyone talk about prior invasions/ attempted occupation of afghanistan?
Is this really a news ? or weekend's break :)
If PTI claims support of Pakistani youth then why hasn't it has ever thought of establishing central office in the city with largest youth vote bank. And everyone knows which city that is, its Karachi.
PTI or any other party claiming support of youth is lying when they can't even have an office in a city of youth.
After TQ's show and Establishment's stabbing in the back, PTI has no option except to make seat adjustments with PML(N). 10 seats, free office space and Cat as symbol is our last offer.
Wow.....sometimes the anti pti reporting amazes me. Crime is increasing in Punjab....schools are being shut down in Punjab...people are dying....but this is important news? Lol
Only decent candidate in Pakistan and the party is so typical of the disorder we just can't seem to get away from. Even the most educated and respectable people are prone to this kind of uncontrollable divisiveness...its just shatteringly disappointing. PTI suffers from this at every level and its not their fault, if IK was a heavy handed fascist like NS, BB, AZ or AH..then those same people would fall in line but it won't be what Pakistan really needs or wants. What to do with our people? Do we even deserve democracy? Maybe we should appoint a Sheikh to rule over us like Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Qatar. They went from Sand to Crystals in just a few decades and we probably have just as many natural resources which we haven't been able to benefit from bcs of this curse of mismanagement and divisiveness we suffer from. Pakistanis had a big role in the development of all of our regional neighbors, but we can't do anything for our own home. How utterly shameful and we should all read clearly what it says about us as a people.
This clearly shows that even can't impose his decisions. And its better to shift office after intra party elections. True democratic party.
@Mirza: are you back from Ghari Khuda Baksh?
He does not own a Bilawal House of his own nor has a Raiwind Palace at his disposal. He also does not have government machinery to take care of his political affairs. Those who surround him are not brain dead, so they speak. If you want to see silent and senseless submission, please check out MQM, PML-N and PPP.
PTI is chaos within. One should see PTI to believe the magic of media. I have seen Mr.khan go berserk but till now have not seen him educating his followers or workers. Rememeber his Sheikhupora meeting, he left the show angrily but did not stay there and control and educate crowd. Whenever food was served in PTI programmes worst show of mannerism by his workers was witnessed by us. First our nation is chaotic then a revolution is being led by "tsunami", aftermath is unimaginable !
@Mirza: This News has made your day..Enjoy.
I guess ET includes news about PTI for personal promotion.
so this is good .if one group objected.it means there is merit
@amjid...yes it is a breaking for ET to malign PTI in any possible way. The coverage given to Bilawal in the last couple of weeks is the evidence that ET has its own agenda.
LMAO tribune pk ...obsession with IK is really talking now :D
When new papers run out of news? Seriously find some credible news like Indian forces firing at innocent Kashmiris today?
why is Imran Khan making noise about american occupation of afghanistan now, but is quite mum about the british occupation of Afghanistan in the 1800s? Is it because his kids are british? . . Isnt this duplicity?
Great, Story based on "a key party leader requesting anonymity said".
This is not 1st time Etribune following this kind of reporting for PTI.. Cary On!!!!
"ooohhhh myyyy GOD ...this is the biggest news of this century.......there can be no greater argument against khan... this is the most truest proof ET can bring about the corruption of PTI."...Cmon people......seriously...is this news really?
Is this News, give me a break
Mr. Khan, you may have some sincere intentions for betterment of the country but the people you are surrounded by have their own agenda!!
Hopefully like all other problems this would also be solved in 90 days.
The best potential prime minister cant manage to finalize party office? Such a small deal and they made mess out of it.