“Hamid Khan sold us out. Not a single lawyer from the ILF has gotten a ticket except for himself,” says ILF Lahore president. PHOTO: FILE
Insaf Lawyers Forum (ILF) Punjab president Shadab Jafri tendered his resignation on Friday due to the ‘indifference’ of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s leadership towards the lawyers’ community.
ILF Lahore president Fayyaz Mehar said the ILF had been completely ignored in the award of party tickets by the Central Parliamentary Board (CPB). “Hamid Khan sold us out. Not a single lawyer from the ILF has gotten a ticket except for himself,” Mehar said. The CPB instead gave tickets to the likes of Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed, who promised several party workers tickets and received favours and bribes from them, Mehar alleged.
“If Khan does not respond to our complaints by Saturday, all ILF district bodies will resign,” Mehar said.
The ILF had earlier announced that it would hold a press conference to record its protest against the CPB’s attitude towards ILF nominees for tickets to the national and provincial assemblies. The press conference was postponed thrice because Hamid Khan placated ILF members every time telling them that Imran Khan would soon hold a meeting with them.
On Thursday, Hamid Khan told Jafri that the chairman had agreed to meet with him on Friday. However, Jafri said no party leader was available on Friday, nor did any of them attend their calls. Jafri handed in his resignation later in the day.
Jafri, a former provincial election commissioner for the PTI intra-party polls, said Khan had promised PTI office bearers, party tickets on priority. The ILF had scrutinised its list of members and had sent 17 nominations for tickets to the national and provincial assemblies. However, the CPB did not award tickets to any ILF members.
“I have been trying to get Khan’s audience to discuss this matter since April 1, since that is not going to happen I have resigned,” Jafri said. The lawyers’ community has been ignored repeatedly, after it helped PTI hold its intra-party elections, he said.
“I have handed Hamid Khan my resignation letter and will return to practicing law full time, “said Jafri.
ILF general secretary Anis Ali Hashmi said some advocates had allowed their community to be sidelined for vested interests.
“We have convened a meeting of district and provincial ILF members on Saturday (today) to decide a plan of action. We will probably announce our resignations as well,” Mehar said.
PTI Central Information Secretary Shafqat Mehmood said that awarding tickets had been the toughest task the PTI had undertaken so far. Many people had been left disappointed and angry with the CPB’s decision, he said. However, there were so many nominees that it was impossible to accommodate them all, said Mehmood.
“The ILF office bearers are loyal and committed party workers and I am sorry that the CPB has not been able to award them tickets, but I urge them to accept the CPB’s decision with a big heart in the interest of the party,” said Mehmood.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 13th, 2013.
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Guys, I agree with Asif, We need Imran Khan and his team to win Elections. The party tickets are not a big deal and the only way to beat PMLN and PPP is to support PTI and Help them in Elections. Motivate our family and friends to vote for PTI.
As Imran Khan said, if they win the Power will be transferred at Local Union counsel level where all Old PTI workers will have chance to serve their towns and villages. All the funds will be given at Municipal Counsel level. Just stay calm and support this revolution. Our Success in Elections is the real success.
I think PTI should have given 80,000 tickets. So everyone should have been statisfied. There are only around 850 seats for MNA and MPA membership. If one group get tickets then other group started to complain. Everyone wants to get ticket or they want tickets for their own brothers or relatives. This is not good.
I think people should accept party central executive committee decission. It is not possible to give ticket everyone as they are limited. PTI supporters should support the party without any comditions.