Facing criticism over the nomination of Aleem Khan as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI)’s candidate for NA 122 by-elections, Imran Khan on Sunday said that no one is more suitable for candidacy than Aleem Khan, directing party workers to run a full election campaign for him.
In his article on party’s official website, Khan rejected criticism of Aleem Khan’s nomination, calling him the ideal candidate. The PTI chief said Aleem Khan belonged to a middle class family and he had always played an active role for the party. Khan said PTI had to give a full competition to the rival candidate.
Citing reasons for giving the party ticket to Aleem Khan, Imran Khan said the candidate was a graduate of Government College (GC) Lahore and a high achiever in the field of real estate.
“Since I have known Aleem Khan it has been a process of discovering his many laudable facets, especially his quiet commitment to his many charitable projects. When I began the NAMAL College project he was one of the first few donors” Imran said, adding that Aleem Khan “continues to donate generously to Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital (SKMTH) and recently gave a huge donation to the Peshawar SKMTH project”.
“Aleem also runs one of the best orphanages in Lahore and is now setting up a Special Children’s school, Rising Sun,” Imran added.
Imran Khan said that Aleem Khan, Shoaib Siddiqui and Mian Aslam Iqbal ran a crucial campaign in 2013 general elections and also worked to expose the alleged election fraud.
He said Aleem remained loyal to the party despite not getting nominated as candidate in the previous elections.
Talking about those criticising the decision, Imran Khan said, “All those involved in running a smear campaign against him are not Insafians.” These critics, he added, “are the Trojan horses, the fifth columnists in our midst and they are a greater danger to PTI than our external enemies and rivals.”
