Best of both worlds: Elected PTI representatives keep dual offices
Political Parties Act bars public office holders from holding party posts.
Almost all senior leaders of PTI succeeded in securing important positions in the government while still retaining offices within the party. PHOTO: FILE
PESHAWAR:
Several top leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) who fought tooth and nail to attain important positions in the provincial government have refused to relinquish their party posts, The Express Tribune has learnt.
In violation of the Political Parties Act 2002 – which prohibits public office holders from holding positions in political parties simultaneously – almost all senior leaders of PTI succeeded in securing important positions in the government while still retaining offices within the party.
“The holders of elected public offices shall not hold any political party office, or where a holder of an elected public office was already holding a party office at the time of his appointment to a public office, s/he shall relinquish the party office before joining such public office,” reads the text of the act.
The public offices for which it is mandatory to resign from party portfolios include the offices of the president of Pakistan, prime minister, governor, chief minister of a province, chairman senate, speaker, deputy speaker, federal minister, minister of state, provincial minister, advisor, special assistant to prime minister or chief minister and holders of other elective executive offices as may be modified by the federal government, it adds.
“The issue is under consideration, but so far it seems the party’s provincial leadership is not willing to relinquish their party posts,” admitted PTI Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Secretary Information Aqeel Razzaq.
He added it was also against the party’s constitution for a member to hold dual offices at the same time and PTI Chairman Imran Khan will take action in this regard soon. Razzaq revealed several PTI leaders have started lobbying to contest intra-party elections for the positions, which may soon be vacated by elected officials.
However, when questioned about the violation of the Political Parties Act, Razzaq argued other political parties’ public office holders were also violating the Constitution by holding dual offices.
Presently, K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khattak holds PTI’s central general secretary office, while K-P Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser is also serving as PTI’s provincial president.
Furthermore, information and health minister Shaukat Ali Yousafzai is the provincial general secretary of PTI, revenue minister Ali Amin Gandapur is PTI’s southern region president, public health minister Shah Farman is the party’s central deputy information secretary and elementary education minister Atif Khan serves as the PTI’s Peshawar region president.
New assignments: 10 lawmakers made advisors, assistants
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has appointed 10 lawmakers as advisers and special assistants, according to a notification issued on Wednesday.
Qalandar Lodhi, Malak Qasim Ali Khan Khattak, Mian Jamshaduddin Kakakhel, Yasin Khalil and Abdul Haq have been appointed as advisor to chief minister, while Dr Meher Taj Roghani, Amjid Afridi, Ziaullah Afridi, Shakeel Ahmad and Mushtaq Ghani have been made special assistants. Lodhi has been notified as advisor to CM for food, Khattak as advisor for prison affairs, Khalil as advisor for physical planning and Kakakhel advisor for excise and taxation. Ibadulhaq’s portfolio has not been assigned as yet.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 20th, 2013.
Several top leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) who fought tooth and nail to attain important positions in the provincial government have refused to relinquish their party posts, The Express Tribune has learnt.
In violation of the Political Parties Act 2002 – which prohibits public office holders from holding positions in political parties simultaneously – almost all senior leaders of PTI succeeded in securing important positions in the government while still retaining offices within the party.
“The holders of elected public offices shall not hold any political party office, or where a holder of an elected public office was already holding a party office at the time of his appointment to a public office, s/he shall relinquish the party office before joining such public office,” reads the text of the act.
The public offices for which it is mandatory to resign from party portfolios include the offices of the president of Pakistan, prime minister, governor, chief minister of a province, chairman senate, speaker, deputy speaker, federal minister, minister of state, provincial minister, advisor, special assistant to prime minister or chief minister and holders of other elective executive offices as may be modified by the federal government, it adds.
“The issue is under consideration, but so far it seems the party’s provincial leadership is not willing to relinquish their party posts,” admitted PTI Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Secretary Information Aqeel Razzaq.
He added it was also against the party’s constitution for a member to hold dual offices at the same time and PTI Chairman Imran Khan will take action in this regard soon. Razzaq revealed several PTI leaders have started lobbying to contest intra-party elections for the positions, which may soon be vacated by elected officials.
However, when questioned about the violation of the Political Parties Act, Razzaq argued other political parties’ public office holders were also violating the Constitution by holding dual offices.
Presently, K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khattak holds PTI’s central general secretary office, while K-P Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser is also serving as PTI’s provincial president.
Furthermore, information and health minister Shaukat Ali Yousafzai is the provincial general secretary of PTI, revenue minister Ali Amin Gandapur is PTI’s southern region president, public health minister Shah Farman is the party’s central deputy information secretary and elementary education minister Atif Khan serves as the PTI’s Peshawar region president.
New assignments: 10 lawmakers made advisors, assistants
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has appointed 10 lawmakers as advisers and special assistants, according to a notification issued on Wednesday.
Qalandar Lodhi, Malak Qasim Ali Khan Khattak, Mian Jamshaduddin Kakakhel, Yasin Khalil and Abdul Haq have been appointed as advisor to chief minister, while Dr Meher Taj Roghani, Amjid Afridi, Ziaullah Afridi, Shakeel Ahmad and Mushtaq Ghani have been made special assistants. Lodhi has been notified as advisor to CM for food, Khattak as advisor for prison affairs, Khalil as advisor for physical planning and Kakakhel advisor for excise and taxation. Ibadulhaq’s portfolio has not been assigned as yet.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 20th, 2013.