Push and pull: Victory in hand, PTI divided over whom to choose for top slot
Pervaiz Khattak and Asad Qaiser said to be main contenders for chief minister post.
“Our support for the CM seat is with Asad Qaiser as he is an ideological activist who worked hard to strengthen the party,” says PTI Central Deputy Information Secretary. PHOTO: INP
PESHAWAR:
After gaining a position strong enough to form a government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) senior leadership is divided over who to nominate for the chief minister (CM) slot.
The main contenders are PTI Central General Secretary Pervaiz Khattak and Provincial President Asad Qaiser. Supporters of both candidates are lobbying to gain the loyalties of elected PTI MPAs.
“Our support for the CM seat is with Asad Qaiser as he is an ideological activist who worked hard to strengthen the party,” said the PTI Central Deputy Information Secretary and winning candidate from PK-10 constituency, Shah Farman. “He deserves to be the next CM.”
However, sources privy to the matter told The Express Tribune the party is divided over who to nominate, with Provincial General Secretary and winning candidate from PK-2 constituency Shaukat Yousafzai’s group throwing its support behind Khattak.
When contacted, Peshawar District General Secretary Younas Zaheer Mohmand claimed those spreading rumours regarding differences within the party were not committed to PTI’s cause. “The central leadership, after consulting relevant stakeholders, has agreed to nominate Pervaiz Khattak for the CM slot,” he said. “Soon the party’s central information secretary will make a media announcement in this regard.”
Resurfacing differences
Sources claim differences developed during the intra-party elections have now resurfaced, with both groups manoeuvring to nominate their candidate for the top slot.
In the run for provincial president, Qaiser defeated Khattak by 14 votes. However, the latter staged a comeback by becoming the first elected central general secretary of the party by defeating former central general secretary and founding member Arif Alvi in the central intra-party elections.
Shaukat Yousafzai had contested the intra-party elections from Khattak’s panel while Shah Farman and Azam Swati had supported Qaiser. Current divisions regarding the CM slot remain over these lines.
Apart from brawling incidents, the party’s leaders had also made allegations against each other regarding poll rigging in the intra-party elections. They blamed each other for offering money to district cabinets in order to gain votes.
Both groups are now approaching the central leadership for a decision to be made in their favour, sources added.
According to the PTI women wing’s regional vice president, there are some circles which are supporting Khattak because of his previous experience in running state affairs. However, ideological workers are continuing to fight for Qaiser who has been associated with the party for a considerable period of time and enjoys the support of party activists at the union council level and the party’s women’s wing.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 15th, 2013.
After gaining a position strong enough to form a government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) senior leadership is divided over who to nominate for the chief minister (CM) slot.
The main contenders are PTI Central General Secretary Pervaiz Khattak and Provincial President Asad Qaiser. Supporters of both candidates are lobbying to gain the loyalties of elected PTI MPAs.
“Our support for the CM seat is with Asad Qaiser as he is an ideological activist who worked hard to strengthen the party,” said the PTI Central Deputy Information Secretary and winning candidate from PK-10 constituency, Shah Farman. “He deserves to be the next CM.”
However, sources privy to the matter told The Express Tribune the party is divided over who to nominate, with Provincial General Secretary and winning candidate from PK-2 constituency Shaukat Yousafzai’s group throwing its support behind Khattak.
When contacted, Peshawar District General Secretary Younas Zaheer Mohmand claimed those spreading rumours regarding differences within the party were not committed to PTI’s cause. “The central leadership, after consulting relevant stakeholders, has agreed to nominate Pervaiz Khattak for the CM slot,” he said. “Soon the party’s central information secretary will make a media announcement in this regard.”
Resurfacing differences
Sources claim differences developed during the intra-party elections have now resurfaced, with both groups manoeuvring to nominate their candidate for the top slot.
In the run for provincial president, Qaiser defeated Khattak by 14 votes. However, the latter staged a comeback by becoming the first elected central general secretary of the party by defeating former central general secretary and founding member Arif Alvi in the central intra-party elections.
Shaukat Yousafzai had contested the intra-party elections from Khattak’s panel while Shah Farman and Azam Swati had supported Qaiser. Current divisions regarding the CM slot remain over these lines.
Apart from brawling incidents, the party’s leaders had also made allegations against each other regarding poll rigging in the intra-party elections. They blamed each other for offering money to district cabinets in order to gain votes.
Both groups are now approaching the central leadership for a decision to be made in their favour, sources added.
According to the PTI women wing’s regional vice president, there are some circles which are supporting Khattak because of his previous experience in running state affairs. However, ideological workers are continuing to fight for Qaiser who has been associated with the party for a considerable period of time and enjoys the support of party activists at the union council level and the party’s women’s wing.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 15th, 2013.