PTI set to purge its ‘opportunists’ through direct elections

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Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Friday decided that all party office-bearers would henceforth be elected through direct elections – a decision many in the party are seeing as an attempt to woo the ‘ideological group’ within the party and to purge ‘opportunist’ political heavyweights from central positions in the party.

The decision was taken during a meeting held between Imran Khan and PTI leaders Justice (r) Wajihuddin Ahmed and Hamid Khan.

A source privy to the details of the meeting told Pakistan Today that during the marathon meeting, Wajih told Khan that the PTI election tribunal would not withdraw its decision to suspend some senior leaders even though the PTI chief requested him to forego the ruling.

“The ideological group leaders said that they would not retreat from their principled stand over party affairs and the ‘Qabza mafia’ would not be allowed to hold party offices anymore,” the source added.

The source said that Khan tried hard to advocate for the four senior leaders, even telling Wajih that they were working ‘round-the-clock’ for the party. “However Wajih did not buy Khan’s argument and said that he found it hard to believe that the party of seven million voters had failed to find seven people who could work 24 hours a day,” the source added.

The source said that Khan finally conceded that people not enjoying a good reputation would not be allowed to hold important offices within the party. “A follow up meeting would be held on Sunday during which Khan would share the decisions taken in the meeting with Wajih and Hamid Khan with the rest of the party leaders. Wajih and Hamid Khan will also take part in that,” said the source.

The source said that Imran Khan promised to hold intra-party elections soon after the local government elections while voters’ lists would be completed in two months’ time. Talking to reporters after the meeting, Justice Wajih said that it has been decided that intra-party elections will be held on a regular basis. He also confirmed that Imran Khan had agreed to hold direct elections for central offices.

Hamid Khan told reporters that he was among several party leaders who had not been consulted when the terms of reference for the agreement with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-) government was being negotiated for a judicial probe into alleged rigging in the 2013 elections.

3 COMMENTS

  1. Imran khan is in habit of mis coding of history and do not like to listen truth . He has been trapped by.oppurtunists who were benifiearies from all government ,The direction selection of party office bearers is good step for strengthening democratic culture but ideological group holds resevation upon it as wealthiest persons will hold on key position last day I came to cross with founder member and ex-president of Punjab PTI Col Rtd Ghulam Mujtaba who was quite annoyed will party leader ship and hopeless for playing any vital role for change by them .

    • These ideological workers dont know A B C of politics, forget anything else.
      In Pakistan winning election is not cake walk and IK knows it know
      If you continue losing elections with a change change scenario, its all non sense

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