IMRAN MUKHTAR & JAWAD R AWAN
ISLAMABAD/LAHORE - An investigation commission of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Wednesday recommended dissolution of all bodies, committees and offices of the party, besides holding of new intra-party polls.
The recommendations came from an investigation commission headed by justice (r) Wajihuddin Ahmed and copy of the commission's report was handed over to PTI Chairman Imran Khan here on Wednesday.
After PTI's intra-party polls held at the end of December 2012, party chief had received many complaints from party workers about PTI's internal structure and had formed a commission headed by justice (r) Wajihuddin to probe the complaints and give its recommendations.
Rizwan Chaudhry, an office-bearer of PTI's media wing confirmed that commission had recommended dissolution of all elected bodies, committees and offices of the party at federal and provincial level. A PTI leader aware of the development said that commission had recommended for their dissolution, saying some of the party offices were not represented by elected people and similarly party elected bodies also represented some non-elected people.
He further said that commission had also recommended dissolution of party’s main bodies including core committee and central executive committee. The commission has recommended that the basic structure of the party should be elected.
PTI’s Central Information Secretary Dr Shireen Mazari in a statement said the party leadership would thoroughly go through the report prepared by Wajih. She said commission had recommended dissolution of party committees but a decision had yet to be taken.
"Chairman Imran Khan has summoned an important meeting of the party leadership in this regard on next Sunday and the issue would be discussed in detail there," she said. She rebutted some media reports that the main bodies of the party had been dissolved.
Another committee of PTI is already reviewing the constitution of party so that intra-party polls could be held under the revised constitution. PTI after holding four-month-long protest sit-in in Islamabad had decided to bring structural reforms within the party to fill the loopholes that were exposed during the party protest.
Whether the PTI will hold fresh intra-party elections or not but party’s high command, taking into consideration Wajihuddin’s report, has summoned a meeting on March 22 to ponder over the possibilities of implementing suggestions made in the report.
A senior party leader privy to the development told The Nation on Wednesday that almost half of the members were in favour of holding fresh intra-party polls after Wajih’s report that claimed widespread irregularities during the phase-wise party elections.
Wajih had suggested that all the party offices should be dissolved except party chairman’s office. He, however, suggested in his report that the current party bodies and offices should continue to work till holding of new elections.
Umer Cheema, PTI chairman’s spokesman, when contacted said, “No decision has so far been taken for holding the party elections afresh but the party chief has summoned a meeting of the core committee on March 22 at Bani Gala to ponder over the suggestions made in Wajih’s report.”
Some close aides of party chairman have, however, claimed that revelations made in Wajih’s report really jolted Imran Khan but he (party chief) might not take any decision in haste relating to the fate of the incumbent party bodies and offices.
They remarked, “Imran understands well the sensitivity of the matter and we don’t think that he will call for fresh intra-party polls without thorough deliberations. He (party chairman) knows that fresh party elections in the year of local bodies’ polls could cost him dearly.”
Ijaz Chaudhry, PTI Punjab president, when contacted said, “I don’t think that any sane political leader can think about holding the intra-party polls when there is a schedule in place for the local bodies’ elections. We have launched our efforts for the LB polls scheduled for September this year.”
He insisted, “I have no information about holding of intra-party polls afresh by the party. It will be a fools dream and can be damaging.”
Ijaz also told this correspondent that he had directed the district presidents to start preliminary exercise of gathering information concerning the aspirants of party tickets for the local bodies’ polls scheduled for September this year.
He said PTI had started preparations for the forthcoming LB elections and take on opponents well-prepared in September.
When asked about PTI chairman’s directions for the partymen to be prepared for another Azadi drive from Lahore, he said, “We will be ready for the re-launch of Azadi drive as well as facing our opponents in the local bodies’ elections, as re-launch of Azadi campaign in fact will be an excellent opportunity to rejuvenate various party cadres for the local polls.”