- ‘Fake’ polls mere eyewash, violate party’s own constitution
- Common party worker Prince Abdul Qadir Baloch’s nomination papers seen as ‘a threat’ to PM Nawaz Sharif, rejected by party’s Election Commission
- Polls for secretary general slot postponed because of differences between Shahbaz Sharif and Capt (R) Safdar who are backing Mehtab Khan Abassi and Amir Muqam
Violating the party’s own constitution as well as all norms of democracy, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) intraparty elections on Tuesday proved to be a farce.
PML-N’s party Constitution provides for the party to hold elections for all offices after expiry of four years term “from the date of previous elections”. However, the ruling party violated clauses of its own Constitution, a copy of which is available on the party’s website.
Article 120(b) of PML-N’s Constitution reads, “The party will hold election after expiry of four-year term from the date of previous elections at Central/Provincial/Local levels through secret ballot.”
This article has been violated on two counts. First, the party held its elections after a lapse of more than five years and three months from the date of its previous elections.
The previous elections of the PML-N were held on July 27, 2011 and current Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mian Nawaz Sharif, was elected the party president. The next elections were to be held before July 27, 2015 but were held this year.
However PML-N Secretary Information, Senator Mushahidullah Khan, strongly defended the delay in polls, saying that the party had held elections as per its Constitution.
“One must appreciate the democratic norms upheld by the ruling party,” he maintained.
The article that binds the party to hold elections for all the key posts was also violated as PML-N did not hold elections for key slots such as the secretary general because of a chance of strife between two stalwarts.
Since the party loyalist Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, who is also Kyyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor, could not be re-elected as secretary general, two strong party leaders from the same province were vying for the slot.
Former governor Mehtab Khan Abbasi is vying for the slot but does not qualify because of the mandatory requirement of not having held a political or public office for the last two years.
“However, Abbasi is lobbying for the same slot. He is fully backed by many senior party leaders including Shehbaz Sharif and Chaushry Nisar Ali Khan,” the source added.
The source said the PM’s son-in-law Captain (R) Safdar and some provincial chapter leaders were backing Amir Muqam for the party secretary general slot.
Muqam, who many perceive as an invader and a traitor for having been a close ally to General (r) Pervez Musharraf, is facing opposition from many party members.
Nawaz Sharif, who is himself from Punjab, wants the secretary general slot to be filled by a candidate from some other province, specifically KP, to counter Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
More than two senior party leaders have confirmed that Amir Muqam would indeed be appointed secretary general after building consensus in the party.
Article 120(a) of the party’s constitution says that PML-N shall hold party elections at “all levels” in a free and fair manner and by secret ballot based on a democratic and transparent procedure laid down by CWC.
However, this never occurred, as the party decided not to go for secret ballot, and elections were held for only those offices where the winner been already determined earlier by party leadership.
However, contrary to everyone’s expectations, Prince Abdul Qadir Baloch, a party worker from Balochistan, jumped into the fray and submitted his nominations papers for party president, the post meant for the prime minister himself.
According to the party insiders, Jaffer Iqbal Gujjar, the party’s Chief Election Commissioner who is considered very close to the prime minister, initially submitted the papers. However, the nomination papers were rejected once Gujjar came under fire from the PM House, the party insiders says.
The threat Prince Baloch posed to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was soon countered when Baloch’s nomination papers were rejected on Tuesday. Hence, Nawaz Sharif, in violation of all norms of democracy, was elected unopposed.