Will quit politics if I have to get party ticket from Tareen, says Qureshi

Imran summons senior leaders for meeting

LAHORE: The divisions in the PTI in the wake of the upcoming intra-party elections became obvious on Sunday when the party vice-chairman, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, openly criticised Jahangir Tareen and Chaudhry Sarwar.

“I would prefer to quit politics rather than begging these people (Tareen and Sarwar) for a party ticket. They can never influence the issuance of party tickets. I have always done the politics of principles and will award tickets purely on merit, if given any position in the parliamentary board,” said Qureshi, while criticising the Unity Group.

He was speaking at a crowded convention-cum-reception hosted by Shafqat Mehmood who is a candidate for PTI Punjab president. Unity Group candidate Chaudhry Sarwar is also running for the same slot and enjoys the support of Jahangir Tareen.

The convention was attended by senior PTI leaders including Dr Yasmin Rashid, Munazza Hassan, Saadia Sohail, Hamid Khan, Waleed Iqbal and a large number of party activists from across Punjab.

Rejecting the allegations of creating rifts in PTI, Qureshi said he had always practiced ideological politics for which he even resigned as foreign minister, adding that he enjoyed the trust of Imran Khan.

Categorically rejecting any ‘say’ of Tareen and Sarwar in the issues related to party tickets, Qureshi said he would never call on them to get the party ticket. Two groups, one led by Qureshi (Nazriati Group) and other by Tareen, are contesting the party polls to be held on June 4. Qureshi, who joined the PTI in late 2011 after quitting PPP, is supporting Shafqat.

Blasting Sarwar, Qureshi said when Punjab Police was killing PTI workers Sarwar was sitting comfortably in the Governor’s House, adding that the party was being damaged in the name of unity. “How these political children can teach us politics,” he remarked.

He said “if any rich person thinks about making decisions in the party as per his wish, it is his misapprehension.” According to sources, both groups are using every tactic to grab the slot and the supporters of Shafqat believe that Sarwar, in an attempt to garner maximum support, is assuring the party members of support in awarding party tickets for next general elections.

The speakers at the convention stated that they wouldn’t let anyone to turn PTI into a Q-League. One of them was Hamid Khan who said the party would be run only according to Imran’s ideology.

He said the people wanting to make decisions through money lived in a fool’s paradise, adding that the workers would defeat them with unity. No one could hijack the party with the power of money and the workers would not let them create any group in the party, he added.

When contacted, Sarwar said they had great respect for Qureshi but what he or the people around him stated on Sunday reflected frustration. “It was frustration, a fear of not being defeated but being knocked out.” 

He said there must be a friendly contest in the intra-party polls and he would be the first to contact Qureshi, if Shafqat emerged victorious. However, he said, they too should show sportsman spirit. Sarwar rejected the allegation that he was fracturing the PTI, adding that he was a committed party member and would always work in the party interest.

On the other hand, Imran convened a meeting of senior party leaders at Bani Gala, Islamabad, on the issue of intra-party polls. The prevailing tension between the two groups is also going to be on agenda.