Protest over refusal of party ticket: Imran Khan to review award of party tickets

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan on Friday announced a re-evaluation of party tickets for the Punjab elections.

Taking to Twitter, the PTI chief announced that he will be reviewing the party tickets issued for Punjab elections starting from Saturday. “The review process will continue until April 26, with names submitted by a four-member committee being considered,” he said.

Earlier, the refusal of party ticket to Malik Zaheer Abbas Khokhar, former MPA who defeated Aun Chaudhry’s brother Amin Chaudhry in July 2022 by-polls, led to a protest outside Zaman Park. The PTI workers from PP162 staged a protest outside the Zaman Park and rejected the decision to award ticket to Aslam Gujjer, instead of Khokhar.

Addressing the party workers at Zaman Park, Imran Khan said the applicants who were not satisfied with the decision could file a review application.

He said that he was unable to properly conduct the interviews due to his court appearances.

Moreover, Imran Khan also strongly condemned the treatment being meted out to former federal minister Ali Amin Gandapur in detention.

He said Gandapur was being humiliated to inflict mental torture on him.

Imran said such insane acts would only widen the gulf between people and the state.

Meanwhile, PTI leader and former minister Hammad Azhar, who has also not been awarded the party ticket, said the party leadership wants him to play his role in the Centre.

Shehbaz Gill, who has also been denied a ticket, meanwhile, said that several senior party leaders, including Fawad and Azhar, had submitted their nomination papers from Punjab.

“Chairman Imran Khan has decided not to give tickets to all of us,” he said.

“Khan sahab’s decision is accepted wholeheartedly.” He claimed that he was not with the PTI chief for party tickets or for any position, but rather for the latter’s ideology.

Meanwhile, PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry appeared to be dismayed over not being awarded a party ticket.

Speaking to a private TV channel on Thursday night, he said that he and other senior leaders did not feel good when they were not given a party ticket. “Obviously, it didn’t feel good. We should have been given tickets. But if Khan Sahab says no, then it means no,” he said with a chuckle.