Almost all senior leaders of PTI succeeded in securing important positions in the government while still retaining offices within the party. PHOTO: FILE
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.
COMMENTS (27)
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@Afzaal Khan: Read PPO 2002
You've got to be joking. How is this matter, which is common in All parties of such importance?
@Lobster: Google ads, lol, I never thought of it. Though I am using add blocker add-on :)
PTI is a party of idiots - if you criticize you they flood you with their hatred. PTI is the worst mistake of everyone who voted for them.
About 26 out of 36 elected PTI members in KPT Assembly are ministers or adviser..
Ya to "LOL" ho giya
What about Nawaz Sharif, did he resign from the top PML N position before becoming PM ?
@Quraysh Khattak
Could you please provide source?
@roadkashehzada: You are right & two wrongs dont make a right so the leaders should follow the rules
where is change as committed by PTI ???//
Express Tribune knows how to get more clicks, most educated online population focus on PTI
ET could only find PTI holding dual offices.
Why such an over sight. Shahbaz sharif was not on ET radar for 5 years ???
Why isn't the same being advertised about 'N' league? Can we get some balanced reporting from ET anytime soon?
Yes, Only Imran Khan deserves full credit of introducing this honest politics in Pakistan, prior to that, it was unheard of!! Don’t be Impatient, its only been few weeks…
why only PTI office holders are being crticised. Asif Zardari despite president of pakistan is also co chairman of PPP, Mian NS and SS are PM and CM alongside presidents of PML(N) at central and provincial level. These champions of democracy do not consider necessary to conduct party elections for the top slots. They are presidents, chairman and quaids of their parties by their divine right. Who cares for the political parties act. We do not live in USA, UK or India where President and PMs do not hold party offices and vice versa.
Fair point. But why is the headline focused at PTI alone? What about other parties? Are they not violating the constitution? Isn't Nawaz Sharif still President of PMLN too?
I really laud ET for being a portion of the more popular media that really is uptodate and with breaking news.
But such kind of news should only be published with a comparison with other provinces and their respective ruling party and their positions.
and what about Nawaz sharif being Prime minister of Pakistan holding PML-N president-ship ?????
ET will make sure that they publish atleast one header news against PTI. Comon People, Give them few weeks they will step down from party offices, most of them are elected as first time they will do the rest in public interest.
Proud be a PTI supporter
This must be true to all political parties. Please be honedt to yourself and to others Don't identity any one single party. They are all doing the same.
@Jahangir Amin: Yes. I am sure that party posts will eventually be relinquished by these persons. Imran Khan will surely take action in this regard. It is against those fundamental rules for which PTI has been striving for the past 17 years
its good to see by raising such points but have you ever seen such top headings of ET about the same matter in past? why its always PTI on to be targetted?
if PTI takes cover of party chief of other parties, then where is the "change"
@Jahangir Amin:
hahaha is all i can say on the party which says it follows rules....
I wished the reporter and PTI Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Secretary Information Aqeel Razzaq would have read the updated version of the Political Party Order 2002. Section 9 of the PPO, on which this story is based, was omitted in 2004.
I am so proud, this is ultimately Imran Khan who taught every one about these things (other wise Pakistan Khappay is the biggest example) and i am sure no PTI member will hold dual offices. Just let them settle. everyone can see how much hectic their to-do lists are.
Proud to be a PTI supporter