Pakistan

Shah Mahmood Qureshi to ‘quit party shortly’

Loss in Okara poll has raised fingers at the PTI leader

Qamar Zaman October 16, 2015

Loss in Okara poll has raised fingers at the PTI leader. PHOTO: AFP

ISLAMABAD: While the results of the October 11 by-elections in Punjab have forced the PTI and the ruling PML-N to do some soul-searching, they have also exposed the parties’ errors in the selection of candidates and its consequences.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) reclaimed the National Assembly’s NA-122 (Lahore-V) constituency but could not secure the Punjab Assembly’s PP-147 (Lahore-XI) seat. On the other hand, the ruling party and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) both lost the NA-144 (Okara-II) by-poll.

The results have triggered a blame game within the ranks of the PTI over the party’s choice of candidate for the NA-144 contest, sources told The Express Tribune.

Read: PTI mulls action against seven party members

The PTI had fielded Ashraf Sohna with the blessing of the party’s national organiser, Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Sohna had quit the Pakistan Peoples Party earlier this year over differences with the party leadership.

Since the PTI’s defeat in the Okara-II ballot, fingers have been pointed at Qureshi – who spearheaded the entire campaign for the constituency – over “poor performance”.

In Lahore, PTI Punjab organiser Chaudhry Sarwar had led the election campaign and his performance was appreciated by the party chairman, Imran Khan, during his October 14 visit to the city. Qureshi was once again absent from the event.

Read: NA-122 by-election: Imran Khan dares premier to a face-off

Rumours are rife that Qureshi has decided to quit the PTI. However, he has refuted all reports regarding his departure from the party on the microblogging website Twitter.

Meanwhile, sources have stressed that “Qureshi is leaving the PTI shortly”. They claimed that he was not even taking Imran’s calls.

The PTI chief had visited the party’s Garhi Shahu office in Lahore but Qureshi stayed away, which, according to sources, was another indication of growing differences.

They said Sarwar had also called for looking into the decision of awarding the party ticket to Sohna. Interestingly, however, Sarwar was part of the panel that interviewed the candidates for awarding the party ticket for the Okara poll.

A source said that “there is likelihood of Qureshi joining the party of former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf”. He has made up his mind and is weighing his options before joining Musharraf’s party, added the source.

Qureshi is a seasoned and constituency-based politician; therefore, his political future would not be harmed much by his decision, sources said.

When contacted for comments, Qureshi did not respond to queries about the rumours suggesting his differences with the party. On the other hand, PTI leaders refuted the reports.

Being the national organiser of the party, Qureshi is busy in preparations for the upcoming local government elections, they added.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 16^th, 2015.

COMMENTS (34)

shafi ullah malik | 8 years ago | Reply Unfortunately PTI creates media hype on every issue but can't sustain it. They should have not put all their eggs for NA 122 basket as they made it it life or death issue for the party. Leaders chosen by PTI like Tareen and Qureshi can't bring socio-ecomomic changes as promised by IK. Party's strength lies in young motivated youth following an ideology to change status quo but they have been neglected. Selection Of Aleem Khan means following same old and rotten politics. If this is the case the party is going to lose its credibility fast.

Arif | 8 years ago | Reply Ch Sarwar is an ambitious person.He came to Pakistan with some particular agenda.Once, he failed in PML(N),he joined PTI knowing fully well that IK is going to fail very soon.Therefore,he has an ample chance to head the party and perhaps become the PM (Allah na kary ).I pray he is sent back from where he came.

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Brar | 8 years ago | Reply @Ibrar: So you implies that honest people should not join politics they are only fit for politics ?

Asrar Hassan | 8 years ago | Reply Shah Mahmood has no place in PTI now. He doesn't have enough wealth to stand in top three knights of Imran Khan. He has been replaced by Sarwar.

k.janjua | 8 years ago | Reply @Abrar and Niaz, Imran Khan always believed in way "His way or highway".

Really? | 8 years ago | Reply @Fawad khan: No man who's primary source of income is stealing from the common man in the name of religion (Kufr at his forefather's shrines in Multan as followers literally dump their valuables there as a 'tax' to get their prayers answered) can be honest. Please wake up.

Abrar R | 8 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqi For crying out loud Shah jee won in Multan and not in Sindh. For crying out loud he's the dude who was invited to rewind and offered a ministry when he quit the PPP. For crying out loud , there is no leader of his Calibre in N league, the party uv been affilliated with since a decade. Lastly, for crying out loud, I know u pretty well ;)

mujtaba | 8 years ago | Reply @SK: But people of pakistan will not vote for young ,energetic and honest persons . they like PML N and other corrupt seasonal politicians ,

ABC | 8 years ago | Reply Stop publishing fake news - why you want to loose your readers?

Waseem Sarwar | 8 years ago | Reply A good omen if he leaves. Ch Sarwar is a proper politician who has organized PTI at grass root level and Lahore by elections are a big example of his work. SMQ always favored his old PPP fellows when they joined PTI. It was his decision about Okara seat and also NA108. PTI would have swept that by election if they had choose any one other than Tariq Tarar who doesn't have any credibility. A wise person like Ch Sarwar will benefit party in longer run instead of electable like SMQ.

sterry | 8 years ago | Reply @Irshad Khan: All these tired old politicians like Sheikh Rashid and Quraishi show how naya , PTI really is. I think Imran Khan has alienated himself from a lot of mainstream voters in Pakistan. Always crying, complaining and using bad language has turned people off like me who used to like him. No wonder the party is losing appeal. Nawaz Sharif never sinks to low gutter talk and he is quietly improving the economy. That sounds better to me.

Irshad Khan | 8 years ago | Reply It is very difficult for a mature person to work with IK. He is proud, stubborn and does not know to give respect to others.

Iftikhar Ahmad | 8 years ago | Reply Qureshi may form his own PTI faction.!

Amir | 8 years ago | Reply I think it will be better for PTI if he ends up leaving PTI. PTI might gain temporary which him and Tareen etc are in party but might not make a long term impart. Ch Sarwar is talking about a party based on principles rather than personality same like in Europe. Labour or conservates have their idealogy and does not depend alot on one family leadership. Similarly PTI need to build a foundation based on principles so tomorrow if IK or any other senior party leader is not around then Party should survive and also should not be hijacked by the family politics.

Adnan Siddiqi | 8 years ago | Reply Is this even news? Who is Shah Mehmood and what is his political stature? For crying out loud, the guy lost his ancestral constituency in Multan on PTI ticket and only won from Gotkhi running as an independent only because of a large number of his mureeds/mazaras/subjects/disciples and help from PML-Functional. If indeed he is going to Musharraf's tanga party, that would constitute that "Umpire" has now totally dispensed with Niazi after his disappointing performance since 14th August, 2014 and Musharraf would be the new horse that establishment would bet on in the short term. If indeed this hypothesis has some merit, then you can bet your bottom $ that all those investors who lined up after 30th October, 2011 and pledged their allegiance to a fake "Tabdeeli," would now be turning their backs on Niazi.

Ch. Allah Daad | 8 years ago | Reply So many great things happened to Pakistan on October 11, 2015, then why not one or two should happen to PTI. Dark forces will stop supporting and funding this useless party which has no vote bank in rural Punjab. Secondly, Opportunists will leave it for greener pastures.

z | 8 years ago | Reply Qureshi will sign his own political death certificate if he quits PTI. I think it is another failed stunt of capturing media attention. good try qureshi!

Bobb Mack | 8 years ago | Reply @Parvez: Hahaha....you have said it all...quite rightly. Imran Khan seems in a rush to become Prime Minister which I sadly guess, and based on what has been seen so far, is likely to result in bigger disappointment.

Pukar | 8 years ago | Reply With imrans stature SMQ stands no chance to be the PM, so bye bye.

J.Niaz | 8 years ago | Reply @Ibrar: Very good comments. I hope IK reads them and follows the good advice. But the question is, does IK follow any advice. however sensible it may be? Judging by his performance so far, the answer to the question must be "No."

Abrar R | 8 years ago | Reply *yawn* 7 hours now how long is this shortly? Waiting ?!!

Ibrar | 8 years ago | Reply If it has not happened yet it will tomorrow. One of the main reasons for these PTI upheavals seems to stem from the very rebellious structure of the party. There is nothing wrong in having too many ambitious leaders in any party as long as they have politically shrude leader of high credibility. Unfortunately Imran Khan' own ability to manage them and hold them under one agenda has been wearing thin. His own rushed decisions, U-turns, vulnerability to be manipulated by his gossiping party and outside party bigwigs and advisors and his crude insulting manner he points fingers at almost anyone. He has come to project himself more as a disruptive politician than a leader who can heal the nation. He may appear to have forceful ways to pursue his objectives but seems to lack poltical intelligence to see them through. Wishing him to take over power and put every thing right is sadly likely to give the nation another era of great disappointment and even further loss of what the nation has today with onset of anarchy. Pakistan Zindabad I wish he reshapes his party and convert it to a welfare organisation and focus on things he is best known for..... Hospitals, colleges etc.

Aamer | 8 years ago | Reply This seems like someone wish, what are the SOURCES???

Kamran Bangash | 8 years ago | Reply It will be a great mistake for him to leave PTI. Since there is no future for Musharaf and his political party. It is unlikely that PML N or PPP will welcome him. So better for him to remain in PTI playing a limited role assigned to him.

haji | 8 years ago | Reply @SK: Faiz Chohan for example

Parvez | 8 years ago | Reply PTI leaders appears to have bigger egos than brains...... they seriously need a mega doze of political maturity.

khurram shahzad | 8 years ago | Reply Not good for IK and PTI. Since Ch. Sarwar has joined PTI rift has been created between IK and SMQ. I guess this is another chess move by NS of PML N to break PTI in Punjab.

KhanSahib | 8 years ago | Reply Well, this will be not a wise omen for PTI. No matter how much you dislike him, but he is a winning horse in South Punjab and at this time, PTI has no substitute leader of his stature in South Punjab. But I don't think this is going to happen.

Zuhair | 8 years ago | Reply He is not quitting. ET will soon have to eat its words and a humble pie or both.

Patriotic Pakistani | 8 years ago | Reply Good.. He should have decided earlier..

Ahmed | 8 years ago | Reply Shah Mahmood Qureshi himself have clearly denied this rumor yesterday in nadeem malik show. so ET need to increase its info

Usman | 8 years ago | Reply More wishful thinking by ET.

SK | 8 years ago | Reply If PTI has to survive, it has to rid itself of all politicians like Qureshi, Tareen etc. PTI MUST focus on honing its young, energetic and most importantly honest workers

Fawad khan | 8 years ago | Reply I think Qureshi is an honest politician and is a great asset for PTI. No party as big as PTI can be run by one individual, so Qureshi and Sarwar should learn to play their own roles and leave room for the other. There is no harm in it.

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