PTI workers voting in the Aiwan-i-Iqbal. PHOTO: ABID NAWAZ/EXPRESS
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf members, including women, were at polling station at the Aiwan-i-Iqbal on Tuesday to elect office bearers at the district and town level. Candidates and supporters were present and lobbying members for their votes.
The polling started at 9 am but voters (elected office bearers at union council level) started gathering at 8 am. Many voters said they looked forward to electing a politically mature leadership. Hammad Azhar, running for general secretary, said people wanted to elect a democratic leadership.
Tsunami Change Group’s Omer Zaheeer Meer said he sensed the spirit of change among the voters. “PTI has empowered workers. Workers of other political parties will also demand similar empowerment now.” The polling station, Meer added, was packed with voters which proved that they wanted change in party ranks.
Former central information secretary Umer Sarfarz Cheema said the workers were in a good mood and wanted to elect clean, educated and a devoted leadership. “No panel will sweep the election. ‘Mixed leadership’ is expected to be elected.”
“This is a good exercise for the country,” Cheema added.
UC-66 General Secretary Muhammad Khursheed said he was an ordinary labourer but PTI had empowered him. “I came here to support change. I have been in the queue for two hours but I can stand much longer to cast my vote.”
UC-19 Vice President Fauzia Bibi said she would vote for a panel.
UC-130 Vice President Chaudhry Muhammad Saleem said he was rooting for the Ideology Group as it consisted of PTI’s founding members.
Many voters were critical of arrangements made by the Election Commission. They recommended that the commission establish more booths to facilitate voters. Initially, candidates were not allowed to enter the polling compound. However, later on, at the demand of candidates running for president, the rule was relaxed.
Abdul Aleem Khan, Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed and Farooq Amjad Mir, all running for president, remained in the compound with supporters. Hammad Azhar, Hafiz Farat Abbas and Rasheed Bhatti were also present.
All the candidates had established camps outside the premises to guide voters about the polling procedure. Roads leading to the Aiwan-i-Iqbal were blocked.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 27th, 2013.
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Nida Ali - This is for the first time PTI is holding election. Look at the heavy weights loosing their elections and they are unable to do anything change things in their way.
If it is PTI, everybody wants perfection in a society where level playing ground is not available. The dirty politics doesn't allow nice people to come forward.
So look it in a way that it is only IK who is trying to establish some culture which would get us to the point where Labour or Torry stands.
PTI is a brain child of Imran and if he would leave it on the way without transforming it into proper party it would be finished and this is what everybody want.
All parties want PTI to disappear like Asghar khan party by any method either some IK's mistake or by spending huge money. Look at N league games, they don't want PTI to get into winning arena by making alliances. They are sure once PTI established itself and 3 main parties becomes equal then there is no way that 2 party system could help crooks.
NS is getting better but his time is passed and he would not be able to bring radical changes if takes oath this time. On top of that he is creating his image very similar to Zardari by gathering dozens of parties, making a group which will not let him to do anything. You can think how people of alliances force you, in fact threaten to do thing in their favor...
Despite all this sham elections drama, the slot of party Chairman is reserved (life-time) for Imran Khan Niazi, slot of party Vice Chairman is reserved for Shah Mahmood Qureshi (since the day he jumped into PTI) and the slot of party President has been picked by Javed Hashmi (the pre-condition of his joining PTI in December 2011, but withheld for a few weeks since the news already broke by independent media).
The picture above speaks volumes! The Change is here!
IK help us. please
Fantabulous ...
Wow. Great job PTI.
This is the change that PTI had promised. Inshalla PTI will sweep the elections and their imminent victory will become evident to every jaded person on 23rd March. Tsunami will be at its peak then. Inshallah