File photo of PTI Chairman Imran Khan
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday appeared to be inching toward intra-party elections despite confusion arising from conflicting statements of senior lawyers and the party’s official social media account.
Following a meeting with PTI Chairman Imran Khan at Adiala Jail, his lawyer and PTI Senior Vice-President Sher Afzal Marwat told media that due to the former prime minister’s conviction in the Toshakhana case, he had decided against contesting the intra-party polls. In his stead, said Marwat, the PTI chief had proposed an alternate name that would be made public later. To a question, he said this decision could be revisited if Khan’s disqualification is set aside.
However, within hours of this statement, the party’s official X (formerly Twitter) account issued a counter-statement “strongly denying” any media speculation about a new chairman for the PTI. It also denied the claims of a “senior party leader”—a seeming reference to Marwat—about Khan not contesting for the post of chairman in the intra-party polls. “Discussions are ongoing on all important issues regarding the holding of intra-party elections,” it said, stressing a decision on whether or not Khan would participate in the intra-party polls was still pending.
This prompted yet another statement from Marwat, also on X, in which he maintained that his original statement was accurate. “The decisions were taken by the PTI chairman in the presence of Senator Ali Zafar, Barrister Gohar, Umair Niazi, and myself,” he said. “I fail to understand who is behind the contradiction and why the misleading statement was issued. The media are advised to verify my statement with the above-persons,” he added. Later, appearing on ARY News, he re-confirmed his stance, adding that lawyer Gohar Khan—who joined the PTI last year—was Khan’s handpicked candidate to lead the party in his absence.
An advocate of the Supreme Court, Gohar was a member of the Pakistan Peoples Party and contested elections for the National Assembly on its ticket in 2008, which he lost. He is a recent entrant to the PTI, joining it in July 2022.
Separately, Senator Zafar also sought to resolve the controversy, claiming to Geo News that there was no confusion about the intra-party elections. Claiming the lawyers and Khan had agreed to a few decisions in their meeting, he said the party would appeal the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)’s order directing the PTI to conduct intra-party polls or risk losing its electoral symbol. Additionally, he said, he had advised Khan that the intra-party polls should be conducted regardless of the status of the appeal.
“I believe, and the party leadership does too, that the ECP is somehow trying to not give the PTI the symbol of the bat,” he claimed, adding Khan had agreed with this and had supported conducting the intra-party elections. While he suggested that it would be “better” to hold elections without Khan’s participation, he stressed that this was not a final decision. “If he [Khan] nominates someone else and a final decision is taken, then elections will be held,” he said, adding the PTI chief had already made his decision on who wished to contest the polls in his absence.
“I cannot disclose it because it was our decision to first have legal consultation, if Khan won’t contest then we will announce the name tomorrow,” he added.