PTI activists wave party flags during the rally on Ring Road, where thousands of people showed up to protest drone strikes and to demand halting of NATO supplies. PHOTO: AFP
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) youth wing is upset with the party for ignoring them, and demands that in order to make up for it PTI should give them at least 50% representation in upcoming local government (LG) elections.
Youth wing representatives added that if the party did not listen, they would have to face a repeat of what happened in NA-1. Members of the youth wing believe that the party lost in the constituency as the leadership overlooked the youth during the May 11 general elections and then again in the by-polls.
Another reason, they believe, is because of groupings within the party. The wing decided that it is now time to confront the party by demanding representation at the grass-root levels.
They demanded that the party should find out why they lost in NA-1 in the by-polls.
“We took the streets for change, we knocked on every door to convince people to vote for PTI,” said the youth wing’s Peshawar district president, Sajjad Bangash. “The youth reflects the party chairman’s politics but it is being ignored. Imran Khan should remember that if he ignores the youth, the party might meet the same fate as other political parties.”
He added that while the PTI tsunami had brought a lot of new people to the party, it had also swept away some who had been associated with the party since its inception in 1996.
According to Bangash, who promises to stand by the party chairman, Imran Khan should concentrate on internal issues just like he’s been dealing with international ones such as drones. “We are looking forward to sweep the LG polls,” he said. “The chairman should look into issues such as the youth wing’s reservations about party selections. We are content with the provincial government but the bureaucracy needs to be dealt with strictly.”
Bangash added everyone should be held accountable, even Imran Khan.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 20th, 2013.
COMMENTS (7)
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Now we know why youth joined PTI
How long would PTI supporters claiming that it is a party of youth. PTI leadership is older than PPP, PML-N and MQM. Their govt in KPK and leadership in NA consists of tried tested professional lifetime politicians who have been to various parties at various times. The workers can forget what happened with Fouzia and the youth are going to be hurt again and again. They can talk a big game out of the parliament but when in power there is not much difference. Supporting TTP is more imp than their own youths.
@Tru Karachi wala what about APMSO in MQM ???
@ Fawad. I have supprted PTI from day 1 (verbally and a little bit financially). Really love and agree with your comment.
@fawad:
You are a true patriot. May your clan increase.
I am a youth and I am with the party since as long as I remember. My demand from PTI is that don't do anything for me. Just do everything for Pakistan. Give tickets on merit which means capable and honest people whether that guy is 25 year old or 65 years old. Anyone who is demanding anything for himself means he never understood the ideology of PTI in the first place.
Party of youths has a separate wing for youths, amazing.