Fauzia Kasuri. PHOTO: WASEEM NIAZ
Sources said that Kulsoom had discussed the portfolio being offered to Kasuri during their talk.
One of the central figures of PTI and a close associate of Imran Khan, Fauzia Kasuri has previously served as PTI women’s wing president and a liaison person for the party’s overseas chapters.
With PTI winning six reserved seats – four in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and two in Punjab – Kasuri lost the chance to represent the party in the assembly.
With many sacrifices for PTI including surrendering dual-nationality, there has been evident friction between Kasuri and PTI.
In her opinion, it all started when “compromised people” were given a chance to join the party. Though she realises the dynamics of any political party and the fact that people have to be taken on board, she feels “parties must stick to their ideology”.
She says her colleagues’ apathy and Khan’s silence give her signals that she is not needed anymore, since no one has contacted her or replied to her emails.
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People defect when meted out with this sort of treatment. In parties where leaders consider themselves demi-gods there is no place for a hardworking activist. This is not about seat this is about the respect you get in a party. When no one contacts you and you are left alone right after your party is defeated, you have reasons to doubt and reconsider your commitments. Javed Hashmi did the very same thing.
Double standards of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Nainsaf are exposing with each passing day. Merely criticising the Government is another matter but the Test of Time is elections and forming government. PTI doled out all the key Offices (Vice Chairman= SMQ, President= MJH, Senior VP= Swati) to newcomers in end 2011. Mysteriously, all of them remained unchallenged in much-trumpeted intra-party elections. Opportunism at its worst!
I think the issue is more serious than just an NA seat. Fauzia is among the founding members. I have been with the PTI since 1997 and should Fauzia leave - it will be a huge blow to PTI. Imran Khan needs to personally look into this matter. SMQs and turncoats are ruining this party
This would never have happened in "Naya Pakistan"
what more loyality could she show than leave her US visa for PTI. Lots of hardcore PTI members would leave PTI if they were promised a visa for the foreign countries. lots of members. so dont come with this opportunist etc. crap. IK is the biggest opportunist but people for some strange reason dont see it.
Fauzia could maintain her status, and serve PTI. She is regarded more than an MNA or MPA. Great.
Leave her alone for abit, let her calm down and come to her senses. She knows she will not leave PTI and she knows she can do a lot being in tihis party.
Looks like things are falling apart for Imran Khan.
HAHAHA, another blunder by the PTI, just continues to get worst and worst by the day.
@Imran: She served PTI for so many years She is the founding members of pti and now she is ignored so how do you want her to react stay quite and let everyone ignore her and dont fight for her rights?? its natural every human fights for its rights its her right to get a seat and PTi is not giving her any answer which clearly means they dont want her in their party...
Fauzia you should have seen IK` real purpose having you with him long time ago. IK and Nawaz both are corrupt and people who cant be trust. leaving hers US visa for IK. Get a life. he travels to UK as it is his own country and you Fauzia gave up yours.
sister Fuzia please don,t do this... idoiligy importent than a seat ,,,,,,,,,, plzzzzzzzzzzzzz
This is just a glimpse of the future of PTI as a political party. God Forbid, if the terrible fork-lift fall was fatal for IK, his party would have broken in to a million peaces. All turncoats would have disintegrated. A political party should be strong even without their leader. I believe PTI is a one man show and unless they evolve in to a mature political party, their future is disastrous.
PML-N....Fishing in troubled waters.....Shame!
You are not quitting PTI, you are giving up your nazarya, the vision you talked about. Noon leaders have offshore family ownerships similar to Zarari's Noon leaders have taken loans during the loans, not returned, using court stay orders to delay paying back. Noon leaders did not make the difference over the last 5 years.
this is an internal matter of PTI , i am a proud MQM supporter ,just wish to say that all genuin workers be given their rightful
Excuse me ma'am PTI didn't win enough seats from Sind so that you canbe adjusted ...fake Domicile ..i guess than you are better off saying adios to the party
She should join pmln as marvi did. When Ayaz amir left pmln after ticket was denied to him,PTI supporters welcomed it as he was supporting their candidate.
I have mentioned it elsewhere. Why was Shireen Mazari prioritized over Fauzia Kasuri? Didn't Mazari quit the party when the going got though and joined again after the intra-party elections?
All those saying she is fighting for seat is no good, tell me please if seat didn't matter why would pti need seats to bring issues to government? Those saying she shouldn't bring it in public , that's ridiculous the party leader himself had said that he would end vip culture drawing room politics etc
So she will leave just like that? what happened to Nazria, principles esp if she will join PML-N... so it was all about becoming a member of parliament?
funny how trolls claiming that memon has wasted herself in PTI. Firstly, she got a ticket to contest on a general seat from a constituency of her choice & when defeated, made it to NA on a reserved seat. This is the respect & recognition you get in PML-N. That's what you call merit. Kasuri wasted 16 years in an opportunist party.'Pti walay kis dunya mein rehtay hain'
I think MQM hatching a conspiracy against PTI-------PTI zealots; PLZ TRY TO FIND "MQM hand" behind this mess.-Z jamal
she deserves a n.a seat. we support fozia kasuri. no doubt.
So When I took oath to be a U.S. Citizen with required me to be Loyal to the U.S. Flag God & Country I mean't that ! How can any one trust her loyality or her judgement she gave up her hard earned citizenship of another country just be in Pakistani Parliment just on a reserve seat ! Poor judgement, Poor leadership quality and now she is airing her grievences in Public !
Asad Umar gave a very satisfactory explaination of how the seats were distributed. I was very satisfied with his explaination. It is available on siasat.pk for those who want to see it. It is okay to have difference of opinions about things, but you do not go to media and start crying over it. Do what she is doing in the corporate world and you will be kicked out of your job right away. You can call it whatever you want to, I call it blackmailing.
IK can not keep everyone happy. Everyone either wants a seat or wants to be a minister. Today it is a seat, tomorrow it will be a ministry that she will do this for. If she really has principles, then she won't join PMLN. If she does, then that's where she belonged all along.
@Kim: Excellently said, u hav hit d needle on the head!
@Umair: Nothing related to the above comments. but I always wanted to ask on a public forum that what contribution this lady has towards the welbeing of the children of Pakistan. is it not double standards that on one side she talks and condemns the elite class of wadera's and chaudries and on the other hand what has she done her self for the poor kids. she owns a chain of schools which has created double standards in our society and even poor people who can not affford the exorbant fees are forced to get their children admited in her schools, in the hope that they may become sucessful in life. how many children study free in her schools. if anyone of you like to answer please tell me her contribution.
Is there any way that Fauzia can be persuaded not to leave party she is essence of PTI and she can't waste herself in PML N like Marvi Memon, Fauzia Kasoori plssssssssssssssssssssssssss dnt leave PTI, the youth is with you and you have to be with us
@Sana Askari: Political workers don't fight for a seat, rather, they fight for their right after immense sacrifices and political activities to be a part of the assembly where they can more effectively raise their voices for issues pertaining to their people/nation. Making such a genuine political worker sit idle by PTI is equal to wasting Fauzia and her will for the service of her people. She should grab any opportunity coming her way, be it PML-N, so that she gets a proper platform to utilize her abilities, talents and 17 years long political experience to serve the people as Fauzia's pledge was NOT to serve PTI, rather, she made a pledge to serve the PEOPLE of Pakistan THROUGH the platform of PTI. Now if PTI denies that platform to her, which by the way is her well deserved right, she should then part ways with PTI and seek some other opportunity by virtue of which she is in a position to make a tangible difference.
@Imran: This means that all the fund raising, jalsal, dharnas etc and all the hue and cry of IK was just for a seat of PM!!! political workers don't fight for a seat, rather, they fight for their right after immense sacrifices and political activities to be a part of the assembly where they can more effectively raise their voices for issues pertaining to their people/nation. Fauzia's pledge was NOT to serve PTI, rather, she made a pledge to serve the PEOPLE of Pakistan THROUGH the platform of PTI. Now if PTI denies that platform to her, which by the way is her well deserved right, she should then part ways with PTI and seek some other opportunity by virtue of which she is in a position to make a tangible difference.
@Iqbal: This means that all the fund raising, jalsal, dharnas etc and all the hue and cry of IK was just for a seat of PM!!! political workers don't fight for a seat, rather, they fight for their right after immense sacrifices and political activities to be a part of the assembly where they can more effectively raise their voices for issues pertaining to their people/nation. Making such a genuine political worker sit idle by PTI is equal to wasting Fauzia and her will for the service of her people. She should grab any opportunity coming her way, be it PML-N, so that she gets a proper platform to utilize her abilities, talents and 17 years long political experience to serve the people as Fauzia's pledge was NOT to serve PTI, rather, she made a pledge to serve the PEOPLE of Pakistan THROUGH the platform of PTI. Now if PTI denies that platform to her, which by the way is her well deserved right, she should then part ways with PTI and seek some other opportunity by virtue of which she is in a position to make a tangible difference.
@Erum: She is in politics to do some thing for people not to sacrifice, She has right to leave a party and that would be a good decision.
I thought Mrs. Kasuri was for the PTI ideology & not after a seat in NA.
Typical desi politician. Expecting a seat as a reward for supporting "her" party. Apparently the ideology is not enough unless it comes with a seat.
What I would like to see is whether PTI MNA/MPA elect chose to display the small plate on their cars that in my view shows the small time mentality of our elected representatives.
Please stop this 'Nazria' nonsense. What is the 'nazria' of PTI? Please enlighten me. People join politics to get into power. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a fool.
@Raheel: I meant to say Asad Qaiser not Asad Umar.
My message for fouzia kausri is that she much bigger person then a mna sand she should stick with pti and deliver for the poor and deprived people of Pakistan...fouzia plz don't create a dense of selfishness and stick with pti and u will be a mna very soon ... Dr yasin rehman
@Erum: Really? How about giving your due promotion or salary raise to someone else?
well, its only the beginning, lets wait and see what change PTI could bring to our lives.
She's behaving like a kid for a seat.
I hope PTI doesn't turnout like MMA (one election party) and then gone forever. She needs to be heard and should be given explanation by just saying that the decision made on merit is not enough. In this age and time in Pakistan, surrendering US/UK nationality is itself a sign that he/she is sincere to the cause and will stand accountable for anything he/she will be responsible.
IK! please don't loose the core of PTI and don't ignore the loyalists who supported you in difficult times whether they are party workers or members of the executive committee or anyone who worked for you in any capacity. Asad Umar was ignored as well but then intelligently placed in the end. Same has to be done in this scenario as well and urgently!
Please dont leave the party or you will just be another Marvi Memon. Ms Kasuri your will always have supporters in PTI in PML-N you would be just another compromised politician
I always admired her. In fact, she's the one that got me interested in PTI. This is very disappointing. She needs to put country's importance in front of hers. So what if she doesn't have a seat, she could still have many fans and followers. Adn just like she said, there are many platforms to be an activist. She should continue. Changing party will be pretty sad for me as a long time fan of hers.
Fauzia Kasuir should join Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri to support real change. This corrupt system will corrupt the honest people and will not let change loving people come on front.
good,nawaz sharif is my hero,and hero,s 99% wright ,ALLAH help to nawaz sharif
Fauzia Kasuri is a dedicated worker of the PTI. She should not be disheartened by being sidelined. She still has lot to offer to the party. PTI is still in the formative stage and a lot of changes will take place in the party in the coming months. I believe that in Pakistan it is usually the elbow users who get the firstconsiderations. But in the long run the true talents are rewarded. By joining the PML N , she will loose her credibility and secondly she will be joining a party that is unscrupulous and shady. She will have to shake hands with defaulters, money launderers, present day Moghuls who eat cake when the Awaam goes hungry, will have to defend the corruptions and the lies of the party members. If she can do it then Mrs Kasuri was an opportunist who wanted high post when joining the PTI on the first instance.
do you ppl know where rabia zia is these days? ... we are not there for seats...or positions... but please make a new domocile for me so that I can become an MNA from KPK... we all are hypocrates.
PTI has really changed
As a supporter of PTI it is very sad to see that the party could not accomodate Ms.Kasuri. Merit is valid but she should have been elected to 1/6 MNA seats reserved for women for the PTI. I truly hope that she doesnt leave PTI but I do understand the feeling of giving everything to a cause and getting no recognition for your sacrifices.
IK needs to show he is still in control of the party and people who made sacrifices need to be shown that they are still important for the party post-elections.
I do not think so that this is about a seat. It is about giving all that you have and then seeing your party being highjacked by newcomers. Looking at current party set up, all that can be seen is either oppertunists or nepotism. I am sure SMQ and Aleem Khan are ardent beleivers of PTI ideology...lol
Ms. Kasuri has all the right to leave the party. But leaving politics for the time being and waiting this out might be a better option.
You know what, all of you saying "seat is not everything" or stuff like that, imagine if you were at her place. Suppose you had worked hard at a job but someone else gets the promotion, how will you feel? Add to that the fact that no-one bothers to even take you in confidence before doing so. No doubt that she's feeling betrayed and has the right to choose whatever she deems fit for herself.
People want to be MNA or minister so that they could serve the people. There is nothing wrong with that. She has worked hard and has been the women face of PTI.
It is sad to see that PTI higher-ups are not taking her in confidence. I hope IK can show some vision and resolve this issue. I would hate for her to leave PTI.
@Fauzia Kasuri You are a woman of principles and you should not ditch your nazaria for a seat. Is a seat given by PMLN more important than your principles? In tough times those who steadfast are the ones who are remembered by the history as victorious; those who change loyalties for a seat are remembered as opportuists
She is not an opportunist. She is not angry for not given an NA seat her point is clear, ideology of the party The Insaf has been compromised.
Good riddance.
i dont think fauzia kasuri suits to any other party except PTI!
Be a slave to Khan or leave PTI, make a decision and get over with it.
This is not just a seat but the importance of a person in a particular party. She didn't get her rights from that particular party where she sacrifised many things. I am a PTI supporter but my sympathies are with this lady.
She must realize the fate of her party colleague Javed Hashmi, who once president of PML- N and icon for democratic struggle during dictator regime and also HUM KHIAL GROUP's Humayun Akhtar, Kasmala Tariq, Hamid Nasir Chata etc
I am not sure if she is complaining about not getting one of the two women reserve seats from Punjab but she should not be complaining about the KPK reserve seats.
Imran Khan is incapable of managing people. Glad he's not the PM.
@Umair: If she joins PML-N, she will be joining the forces of status quo, in stark contradiction with her convictions and beliefs when she was in PTI. PTI's decision not to select her will be completely vindicated. Her credibility will be that of a LOTA (A LOW LIFE POLITICAL OPPORTUNIST).
@Faheem: You are being terribly naive. If one gets into politics to engender change, then one's party should not be a roadblock. Politicians need to be a little flexible, especially if they feel that they can do some good if they get to control the right ministry.
Pakistan's main political parties differ only slightly on the graph of political ideologies. Sticking with PTI is the equivalent of going down with the ship. It's only admirable if you're a character in a Hemingway novel.
If Kasuri has been offered a position in the government where she believes she can serve our country proudly and steer us towards a brighter future, then I ask, who are we to guilt her towards self-defeating position of sticking with PTI? If you supported her then, you should support her now.
it would be a good decision to join.
I dont think so, that she will accept any offer from any other party. if she would have thurst for NA seat, she would have done long back. but one thing for sure, she need a break.
oh no....please keep her away from my Party (PMLN)
She will get the respect & position that she deserves for a lifetime struggle. Pml-n respects such talent.
All her life she fought against PMLN and other status quo parties and now she will convert as she couldn't make into NA?
Well Hashmi left PML-N after he was refused the slot of opposition leader & Pti hailed him as a an upright politician. Now they're calling kasuri an opportunist for doing the same. Double standards.
It is better that she continues with PTI and try to improve the party in a way that she feels the party should have been in the first place. We respect her a lot. She will lose all her respect if she leaves PTI for one seat. But if she stays her respect will increase tremendously due to her sacrifice for her ideology.
Here is my take on the issue, so bear with me for a moment if possible.
I believe she deserved to get a party ticket for general elections or be at the top of the reserved seats list. Having said this, her conduct also entails some question. Why she waited till the last moment before surrendering her US citizenship. She was already being questioned during her tenure as a president of Women Wing and PTI was questioned for this by its opponents on social and electronic media. This barred her from contesting intra-party elections. The second thing is that her raising hue and cry on twitter and creating emotional scenes on media is doing a great damage to the party, as was the case when shireen mazari left pti and gave vent to her feelings on media, doing much damage to the party. Third thing that is common between the two ladies is that their children (Iman and Isfandyar) have been over-zealous in supporting the cause of their parents on twitter and also some exchange of words between the two in history have left traces of hostility between the apparent calm looking ladies. I think it would have been much graceful had Fauzia Kasuri left it to the young and ideological workers of PTI to champion her cause and bring justice to her. Going nuts on social and electronic media by her and her son is not helping. Faisal Javed Khan is also a founding member of PTI, worked for 16 years and I would have really liked him getting NA 48 ticket in the first go. But again, he has shown a lot of maturity and accepted it as a party decision. Numerous other examples can be quoted where the old guard of PTI didn't part ways with the party despite being deserving candidates. So she is not alone in this regard. Also the good thing shireen mazari did was she didn't show any intent of joining any other party during that period. If she joins something like PML-N, I feel it would be disastrous for her. I hope in her vengeance she doesn't go on with revealing the inner details of partywhich can be truly damaging.
Having said all this, the party needs to evolve a mechanism so that the grievances of PTI leaders and workers are addressed. She is not the first one to be leaving like this. A person whom I really liked was Akbar Sher Babar and he was left in a similar situation, was marginalized but hats off to him that he didn't do anything that could be leveraged by other parties or opponents, contrary to Fauzia Kasuri and Shireen Mazari. He was a founding member of PTI.
so I hope that sense prevails and she decides taking any precipitous decision.
If u were aware of PTIs ideology being violated than y did nt u leave at that time? I am sure IK is aware of his decisions and there must be some logic behind it. One thing FK should have avoided i.e. airing her disagreement on Private TV.
Since, FK is the mother of PTI I am sure she will not leave her family.
Fauzia Kasuri comes off as someone who's quite naive about how politics work. But as a PTI voter, I feel like the party that has emerged post-elections is far from the party that Imran Khan started out with (the one that Fauzia Kasuri was an integral part of). Virtually all of PTI's top-tier leadership now consists of career politicians who will be chasing that elusive 'high' of power for the rest of their lives. Sure, compromises are part and parcel of politics, but how much is too much?
But with that said, I think she's smarter than to join PML-N, most likely she'll step out of politics if things don't work out.
Feeling sorry for her. IK should take her in confidence and nominate her at higher position with in the party. MNA or Senator should not be a destination. Please don't join PML (N)..
I don't think PML-N has made her any offer. Just another wrong reporting by ET.
Strange silence of PTI leaderships shows their concerns about the main stream leadership, she has sacrificed every thing for her party ...
it seems PTI lacks a forum where grievances could be adressed. However she must know that PTI did not win from punjab but if she still wants to leave just for NA seat then let her go dear PTI.
@Ali: How about putting it in this way: Leaving the party for not getting justice? She has been with IK for seventeen long years. She has stood by him in his worst defeats. If she was so power hungry, she would have left IK in his first election when he lost. Learn to respect your leaders. Throwing mud will make your hands dirty too.
I don't think the sole reason for this agitation is denial of NA seat, you have differences of opinion in an entity, you discuss with your seniors, and then it is the duty of seniors to satisfy / justify as the case may be. But the reason seems to be the "Not Responding" sort of behavior from the top leadership which hearts very hard. If the matter had been dealt with internally, there should have been no such discussions and offers from political opponents.
Guys, she has joined and will annouce tomorrrow. As IK said oppurtunist will leave and ideolgy people will be left
What people are forgetting is Fauzia Kasuri was asking for Insaf. She was not treated well by her own party. She is the victim not the villain.
If the party leadership cannot provide justice to it own people how do you expect it will provide justice to others.
Error was made not to listen to her. She was crying for help. If somebody had cared and given their shoulder this crisis would not happened.
The issue is not about SEAT. The real issue is how do you treat you people.
This is not a cricket match. Leadership need to have soft skills.
TIme to fly …………Had Javed Hashmi not been nominated to contest for PM, he would also have left.Not cool to air dirty laundry in public. Did not expect someone like Ms. Kasuri to use public pressure to secure a reserve seat! PTI has limited seats so they can’t please everyone.
An enemy of my enemy is my friend ;)
guys dont believe in this media hype she is not going anywhere
I dont think she will concider, seat isnt everything.
She was the front face of PTI women but she was ignored when PTI got some success. She is to some extent disillusioned from PTI and has the right to make decisions that suit her. PMLN is fortunate if Fauzia joins them.
PTI is a group of opportunists and most will leave for PMLn if Cenrtral Govt performs well.
Don't let the door hit her on the way out. The Punjab team needs a serious revamp. All these Mothers n fathers who took their place for granted have 10 seats to show in Punjab. They should and will be replaced by people who can deliver better results. Wo raha darwaza, thnx for coming!
@Tahir: Absolutely its her personal decision. There is a news item and there is a comments section in there so it was my comment only.
I think this will be better opetion for kasuri.because PMLN showes great behaviour regarding KPK and Balochistan. They change their ambitions for saving the nation. Ramzan
@ali .. its all about getting a seat at the end of the day . thought the lady would want to serve pti regardless of getting anything in return but her true colours are showing now .
PMLN fast becoming preferred destination for jilted politicians.
There are multiple ways to reach the Nirvana of Power, it would appear.....
@Umair: Let us not judge her decision whether it would do any "good" to her or not. It's going to be her personal decision, regardless she executes it or not.
I really respect Ms. Kasuri, but the way she is fighting for a seat is not a good thing. She will get a seat, whether a senate seat or any other, but fighting it like this in public is by no means a mature policy. PTI is a democratic party, so when internal elections take place in 4 years, she should stand again for women wing president and get elected. But I still have immense respect for Ms. Kasuri.
DON'T do it.
Seriously, will she leave the party to get a seat? that hurts! where did the ideology go?? If she joins PML(N), she will definitely get the seat, like Marvi. The only question is will she compromise everything she seemed to believe for a seat in NA?
Leaving a party for not getting a seat. hmm.
@Fauzia Kasuri There is a very thin line between an opportunist and a true politician. You have to choose where u want to end up.
I doubt this will happen. I'm sure even with the inappropriate treatment PTI meted out to her she's sensible enough not to join PMLN. She'll not do herself any good with this move.