ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has dissolved its international media wing within a week after its formation due to internal rifts within the ruling party — a reason that has always put a question mark on its ability to govern in a better way.
On August 19, Secretary Information PTI Ahmad Jawad had issued a notification saying: “I am pleased to appoint Anila Khawaja as ‘head of international media’ with immediate effect.”
Along with the notification, Central Media Department of PTI issued an official photograph showing that secretary information was handing over appointment letter to Ms Khawaja, an old party worker. PTI in a statement also said that the appointment had been made as part of a decision to extend media team of the party.
For Ms Khawaja, this appointment was short lived as she was de-notified by the secretary information himself within a week only to put her in an embarrassing situation.
Many within PTI view appointment of wing head angered people in Ministry of Information, PM’s close aides
On August 22, Ms Khawaja took to Twitter to tell that it is embarrassing that not only she had been removed from the position but international media wing had also been dissolved. She said that now it would be operated by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting which was working under Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information Dr Fridous Ashiq Awan.
“Gosh… how embarrassing…but no longer the case …@PTIofficial International media wing has been dissolved …and now operate under the #MoI. Very shortlived…thank you for all your support friends…let’s see what Allah has planned for me now!” she tweeted.
Many within PTI view that appointment of the head of international media wing actually displeased those sitting at the helm of affairs of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and some close aides to Prime Minister Imran Khan. They wanted that international media should be headed by the ministry and not at the platform of the party.
An office-bearer of PTI’s central secretariat said that party had its own central media department that had no link with the information ministry and had its own mechanism to deal with the media. He regretted withdrawal of notification of Ms Khawaja’s appointment.
Such wrangling and leg-pulling within ruling PTI was common for every day. Earlier this week, some private TV channels broke the news that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Spokesperson Nadeem Afzal Chan had resigned from his position. But later it emerged that he did not resign but a key government functionary leaked this news to media as he wanted to replace him.
However, sources within PTI confirmed that Mr Chan had shown his willingness to resign from his position as he was being criticised within the party circles over his alleged failure to defend Khan and his decision in media. He is also facing allegation from within PTI for not speaking in public against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)—the party he remained associated with it in the past.
“I exactly don’t have any idea what is happening,” Ms Khawaja told The Nation and added that she had been facilitating the party voluntarily, even in the past, to deal with international media.
PTI Secretary Information Ahmad Jawad did not respond to the phone call to give his side of version.
Ms Khawaja is an old supporter of the party and is associated with it since 2005. Soon after joining the party, she became associated with its media wing and had been coordinating with the international media to facilitate the party’s coverage.