‘Electables’ indispensable for Imran’s ‘Naya Pakistan’

–PTI chief says party awarding tickets ‘on merit’ regardless of who joined them ‘early or late’

–Says distribution of party tickets was harder than 2014 sit-in, with allocation to women the ‘hardest part’

–Internal strife evident in PTI as Qureshi lashes out at JKT, says not ‘insane to compete with disqualified Tareen’

–Tareen takes Qureshi to task for ‘shifting blame, not resolving grievances of party workers’

ISLAMABAD: As the controversy surrounding the award of tickets to political turncoats intensifies, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Friday claimed that the party had awarded tickets to aspiring candidates only on merit as it “doesn’t matter who joined first or late”.

Addressing disgruntled party workers camped outside his Banigala residence on the fifth day on Friday, the PTI chief announced that he would make a final decision with regard to the tickets in by the start of next week. “Allotment of party tickets to women candidates is the most difficult part of the process,” he added.

Touting his party’s manifesto of ‘Naya Pakistan’, Imran said the PTI can only bring change by coming into power after winning the general elections.

In an attempt to assuage the concerns expressed by disgruntled party leaders, he said the PTI received applications from at least 4,500 candidates for the tickets. He said the party reviewed decisions in case of reservations. He said the three-day process of ticket allocation was even harder than the sit-in staged by the PTI in Islamabad in 2014.

“We selected candidates who are experienced in fighting elections in order to secure victory,” he said.

Criticising the PML-N for giving in to nepotism in award of tickets, he said the PML-N awarded tickets on the basis of relations.

“There is no merit in PML-N. They have given tickets to the wife, daughters of the influential,” he chided the erstwhile ruling party.

He also announced to kickoff the nationwide election campaign from Mianwali on Sunday.  “We will start campaign from the hockey stadium. There is a reason behind why we are starting our campaign from Mianwali,” he said. “Because of Mianwali’s youth PTI has become the biggest political party.”

It may be noted Imran’s nomination papers from Mianwali were rejected by the returning officer.

QURESHI, TAREEN TRADE BARBS:

Meanwhile, internal strife is evident in the PTI as two senior leaders of the party, Jahangir Khan Tareen and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, on Friday traded barbs over the award of tickets.

Commenting on the ongoing protests outside Banigala, Qureshi told reporters in Multan that the workers had a right to protest. He, however, claimed the tickets were awarded on merit.

The party workers, primarily belonging to the NA-154 and NA-12 constituencies, have said that Sikandar Bosan should not have been allotted a party ticket. Workers said Imran had neglected ideological workers at the time of allotting tickets.

“Who is supporting Sikandar Hayat Bosan and who wants to bring him forward? Why don’t they own their decision to support Bosan?” the PTI leader said.

Qureshi maintained that Imran Khan has formed a parliamentary board to make the entire process transparent.

“We have adopted three rules. The ticket awarding phase is not easy. This is a difficult and tolerant process,” he said.

“The reservations on party tickets are not limited to PTI only. Imran Khan has decided to make a choice in the favour of the party. This plant has been nurtured by Khan and he will never think of damaging it,” he stressed.

Qureshi said that the nation is looking towards PTI after being “disappointed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)”.

“People in Banigala are present to provide their point of view. In 2013, the constituencies were vacant but no one came to get the ticket,” said Shah.

Taking a jibe at Tareen, he said he was not in the race with Tareen, who cannot even contest the elections. “I am not insane to compete with Tareen.”

‘DON’T LIKE TO AIR PARTY AFFAIRS ON MEDIA’:

Separately, PTI leader Jahangir Tareen said that he is not one of those who air differences within the party on-air and ‘advised’ Qureshi to address grievances of the residents of his district first.

In a press conference, Tareen said he resolves issues within the party, adding that the ongoing protests against the distribution of tickets will not have a detrimental effect on the party.

“I do not like talking against anyone,” he stated, adding that he will respond to Qureshi’s press conference after listening to it. He, however, stated that Qureshi should not shift blame and instead resolve grievances of the residents of his district.

PTI activists from Lahore’s PP-170 and PK-60 Charsadda joined the already present NA-154 Multan members in the protest who were demonstrating against allotting ticket to Khan’s political Secretary Aun Chaudhry’s brother Imran. Likewise, the activists from Multan were not ready to leave without receiving the party ticket for Malik Ahmed Dehar.

The protesting members say that “this is not the change for which they have struggled in the past”. They have vowed not to back off until the ideological party members receive the ticket.

On Thursday, some irate party leaders, including Hamid Khan, presented a charter of demands in a meeting in Islamabad over the issue of tickets.

They termed awarding of tickets to some members as “sheer injustice”.

Furthermore, in the charter of demands, it was insisted to constitute a transparent board for the reconsideration of decree regarding tickets