Islamabad by-election: Fauzia Kasuri to run as independent

Imran apparently fails to address her concerns during their meeting.

ISLAMABAD: Former PTI women’s wing president Fauzia Kasuri has decided to contest NA-48 by-elections as an independent candidate after her meeting with PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday night. Tehreek-i-Insaf spokesperson Dr Shireen Mazari confirmed that Kasuri is not associated with the party.

“She is not in the party anymore, so it’s her choice to make. I can only comment on the people in the party,” Mazari explained.

Makhdoom Javed Hashmi of PTI vacated the NA-48 seat after the May 11 general elections.



A close aide to Kasuri told The Express Tribune on Sunday that the former PTI leader has decided to contest the by-polls as an independent candidate, after her meeting with the PTI chairman. “She will contest elections from NA-48 as an independent candidate—Imran Khan failed to address her concerns last night [Saturday],” she explained.

Imran had invited Kasuri for a meeting on July 6, at a fundraising programme for NUML College in Mianwali, promising to redress her concerns.

A number of angry leaders and workers including PTI youth wing president Islamabad, Aamir Mughal assured Kasuri of their unconditional support. “We will support Fauzia Kasuri in the NA-48 by-elections,” a youth wing leader told The Express Tribune. She is likely to file her nomination papers as an independent candidate on Monday, he added.

Several other senior party leaders like Javed Hashmi, Jahangir Khan Tareen and Dr Israr Shah have already expressed concern over the criterion for party tickets set by Imran Khan for the upcoming by-elections, party sources said.

PTI contradicted reports that there were differences among party leaders in K-P. All party leaders are working for the betterment of the people of K-P, read an official statement issued by the party on Sunday.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 8^th, 2013.