PTI delays intra-party polls on Imran’s directive

ISLAMABAD: The intra-party polls of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), scheduled for February 5 (Monday), have been postponed.

According to the party’s Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, the decision was announced on the directives of the PTI founder Imran Khan.

“Intra-party elections can divert the attention of candidates and voters from the general elections,” the PTI chief said.

The decision came within 24 hours after issuing the schedule for holding intra-party elections by PTI’s Federal Election Commissioner Raoof Hasan.

Citing, what he called, the “unfortunate security situation created by the administration and the views expressed by some of PTI’s members due to their occupation in their respective constituencies regarding preparations for the general polls”, PTI’s federal election commissioner said party decided to hold its intra-party elections after the national elections.

He said that the amended schedule will be duly announced by the Federal Election Commissioner office shortly. He added that at the time of holding PTI general body meeting on January 31, 2024, the designated venues where the meetings were to take place the entry of participants were unlawfully blocked by the administration, including sealing of the Islamabad office. This forced the party to search for and confirm alternate places and seek legal remedies, he said.

“While we are ready for holding IPE [intra-party elections] on the basis of secret ballot through digital balloting, the PTI arrangements for availability of alternate venues requires additional time,” he added.

In a statement issued here, Raoof Hasan said that several requests have been received from members of the PTI that because of their occupation in their respective constituencies regarding preparations for the general election scheduled for February 8, they are unable to find time to participate in and join the intra-party election process.

Meanwhile, speaking to a media conference here, PTI founding member Akbar S Babar made an offer to Imran Khan for thrashing out a framework for a formal dialogue for reforms in the party.

Babar proposed to the founding chairman that he should name three persons and as many would be nominated by them (founding members) and then both sides should also propose one lawyer each to prepare a framework or term of reference on the basis of which both sides could initiate talks.

“At the top should be holding of transparent intra-party elections, then how accountability be conducted within the party, and how to deal with the damage done to the youth as well as the nation by the trend of character assassination, abuse and hurling of allegations,” he said.

He also made it clear that this was the last offer from his side to save the party, as there was a ditch right ahead. “We want to save PTI and have no demands to make. We will have to also end the politics of lie on social media. There is a price to pay for the lie while we are before you standing with the truth,” he claimed.

Akbar S Babar welcomed decision of ‘defunct’ PTI leadership not to hold intra-party polls. He added that if this unlawful practice had been kept on going, the party could have been delisted.

Reacting to Akbar S Babar’s presser, the PTI spokesperson called it an absolutely meaningless, absurd and a ‘dream of tout’.

Meanwhile, according to the party’s Central Media Department, PTI ‘Chairman-for-life’ Imran Khan has called upon Pakistanis to use the most powerful and meaningful weapon of vote to overthrow crooks who have been imposed upon the nation.

He said that the people of the country were well aware of the fact that all these cases against him had no legal basis, as these were part of an on-going political circus in the country for the past 22 months to demoralise the voters; however, they should not be disheartened, as Allah is the Ultimate Planner.

“Pakistanis, you must know that all of these cases have no legal basis; they are part of an on-going political circus in the country for the past 22 months. The hasty manner in which all these cases are being concluded, is for only one purpose which is to demoralise the voters, especially the youth,” he contended.