In a damage-control measure, PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday called for halting the debate over the dual office issue within the party in a bid to calm various party groups.
The differing party groups have been pushing for fresh elections for the posts of secretary-general and for introduction of a new PTI leadership in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
“The issue (dual office) has to be discussed and decided upon in the party’s apex decision-making body – the Central Executive Committee (CEC) – where constitutional changes may also have to be made. Until the time Central Executive Committee meets, the status quo that prevailed before the meeting and decision of the PTI Central Election Commission, will continue to prevail,” an official statement said quoting Khan, who is in the United Kingdom on a private tour wherein he would also be seeking medical assistance for his back injuries.
Khan also did not forget to appease Hamid Khan advocate, the man who triggered the dual office controversy and took an independent step to announce that the party offices were vacant now for the said posts without seeking any guidance from the party chief.
“While we respect the independence of our Election Commission and would not seek to interfere in its workings, their decision on dual offices is interpretative. Our PTI Constitution is silent on this issue and there are differing interpretations on this issue amongst the party leadership,” the statement added.
A well-placed source told Pakistan Today that it was the second retreat Khan had adopted within days just to avoid any intra-party rifts which might hamper the party’s popularity.
The matter was raised in the party’s CEC meeting when some members from Sindh (read Karachi) raised the matter that the secretary-general should relinquish his post after taking over his public office (KP chief minister). This angered Khattak who refused to tender resignation and after a heated debate, the matter was left for the next CEC meeting,” the source said.
The source added that the party’s secretary information, Shireen Mazari, was actively favouring Khattak and she was using her influence to save Khattak and others, asking Khan to help prevent a revolt within the party.
Later, the furious Khattak turned towards media and told many senior journalists in KP that he was being pressurised by Khan and his close aides who wanted to run the KP government from Bani Gala (Imran Khan’s residence).
“Khattak’s outburst angered party’s stalwarts of Karachi and Lahore and Hamid Khan was pitched against Khattak and his other colleagues from KP where the party is in the government,” the source added.
The source said that party’s Karachi lobby headed by Imran Ismail and others was determined to keep up the pressure and the row would resurface soon. Ismail had failed to win the intra-party polls.
“The party’s strongmen from Karachi and Lahore are hell bent to build pressure within the party for a re-election for the post of secretary-general and other offices. In such a case, a new face might be put to contest for the slot of secretary-general,” the source added.
On Tuesday, Hamid Khan, the PTI chief election commissioner, issued a notification removing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak from the post of PTI’s secretary-general. He also removed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and Health Minister Shaukat Yousafzai from the posts of the party’s provincial president and general secretary.
However, Imran Khan intervened from London, announcing that only the central executive committee (CEC) had the authority to take a decision on this matter and other major issues.
But Khan’s intervention was not enough to stop Hamid Khan, who again issued a rejoinder on Wednesday, claiming that Imran Khan’s press statement had been issued in complete ignorance of the party’s constitution.
“Under article XVII of the PTI’s constitution captioned ‘Qualification of election to party office’ it is clearly stated that ‘in case of challenges with regard to qualification, the party election commission will adjudicate in such matters where disputes arise regarding qualifications of party office-bearers to continue in their respective offices while also being holders of public offices,” he asserted.
He said the decision taken by the commission regarding the vacation of party offices by those holding public offices was final and had come into force as of Tuesday.
However, the PTI’s manifesto, available on the party’s website, has no such provision as explained by Hamid Khan. Despite repeated attempts, PTI Secretary Information Shireen Mazari was not available for comments.
