Shafqat Mehmood resigns as PTI Lahore organiser

Move comes in the wake of party’s poor performance in Lahore LG polls

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Lahore Organiser Shafqat Mahmood announced resignation from his post on Sunday, following the party’s poor performance in local government elections in Punjab.

“As a district in charge it is my moral duty to accept responsibility for this poor performance. I have resigned as Lahore organiser,” Mahmood said while announcing his decision in a series of tweets.

As district incharge it is my moral duty to accept responsibility for this poor performance. I have today resigned as Lahore organiser

— Shafqat Mahmood (@Shafqat_Mahmood) November 1, 2015

“PTI fared much worse than was expected in Lahore LG elections. We did our best but our best was not good enough,” he added.

PTI fared much worse than expected in Lahore LG elections. We did our best but our best was not good enough. 1/2

— Shafqat Mahmood (@Shafqat_Mahmood) November 1, 2015

Meanwhile, speaking to The Express Tribune over telephone, party's Punjab Organiser Chaudhry Sarwar confirmed Mahmood’s resignation. However, Sarwar said the decision as to whether the resignation will be accepted will be made clear after a meeting with PTI chairman Imran Khan.

Commenting on whether the resignation had been sought by the party, Sarwar said he was not aware of any such development since he was in Nankana attending political gatherings.

Regarding the party’s performance, he said that while it was satisfactory in other districts of the province, it was disappointing in Lahore.



No official statement has so far been issued by the party’s central office.

PTI has claimed that four of its workers were killed in local government election-related clashes in Lahore and Nankana.