• Calls on lawmakers to quit parliamentary bodies, including PAC; party’s political committee also endorses his opinion
• Jailed founder refuses to accept Salman Akram Raja’s resignation; throws his weight behind Achakzai as potential replacement for NA opposition leader
ISLAMABAD: Changing its mind once again, the PTI has decided to boycott the upcoming by-elections for national and provincial assemblies, in line with the opinion of its incarcerated leader, Imran Khan.
The decision was taken by the party’s political committee, which met to consider Mr Khan’s input following a meeting with his legal team at Adiala Jail on Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, Mr Khan’s message was relayed to the media by his sister, Aleema Khan, who also met Mr Khan in prison.
She was flanked by PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja — whose resignation was reportedly turned down by the incarcerated former PM.
Denying reports of a bitter exchange with Mr Raja, she said the lawyer was “like family” to them. She said her brother had asked the party’s political committee to hold another meeting on the by-election issue based on his instructions, and report back to him.
Later on Tuesday night, PTI MNA Amir Dogar confirmed that the political committee had endorsed Imran Khan’s opinion on not contesting by-elections, adding that party lawmakers would also start quitting parliamentary bodies soon.
Imran’s view
Talking about nominations to appoint new opposition leaders in the National Assembly and Senate, Salman Akram Raja said that for them, Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz were still the opposition leaders, adding that they were still contesting their cases and would fulfil all legal requirements.
“If there is a need after that, then the name that Imran has repeated today for the NA opposition leader is that of Mehmood Khan Achakzai,” he said.
Mr Raja explained that Imran gave his “clear directions” about participating in the by-polls after listening to all those allowed to meet him today, including his sisters.
A day earlier, the party’s political committee had voted 12-9 to take part in the by-elections. Information Secretary Sheikh Waqqas Akram had even tweeted that candidates would be given Sunni Ittehad Council tickets to avoid the chances of their being declared ‘independents’.
According to insiders, Sheikh Waqqas Akram, Salman Akram Raja, SIC leader Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Arif Alvi, Sajjad Burki, ex-GB CM Khalid Khursheed and some others were against the decision to take part in by-polls, while those in favour included Aliya Hamza, Sanaullah Mastikhel, Aamir Dogar, Farhat Abbas and others.
Talking to Dawn, former NA speaker Asad Qaiser confirmed that in Imran Khan’s opinion, the party should not go into by elections, and that its lawmakers should leave all parliamentary standing committees, including the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
“Parliament has already been made a rubber stamp, as the voice of the opposition members has been suppressed by not telecasting their remarks on the floor of the house. Secondly, after the passage of the 26th constitutional amendment, courts have come under immense pressure,” he added.
Mr Qaiser said that the jailed PTI founder had given his opinion, and asked the party’s political committee to review its decision.
“Imran Khan was of the view that the government will not let the PTI candidate to win by-elections… [and] if [we] take part in the elections, it will legitimise the government’s illegal action of de-seating PTI legislators,” he said. He, however, said the PTI will continue its street protests and continue to approach the courts to seek justice.
When contacted, Mustafa Nawaz Khaokhar – who is part of the Tehreek-i-Tahaffuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan opposition alliance alongside the PTI – said there seemed to be two opinions in the party regarding by-elections, one suggesting that it should not legitimise the de-seating of its lawmakers, while the other was opposed to ceding political space.
He agreed that this was causing a visible rift in the PTI’s ranks, which had created disappointment in the party workers.
Commenting on the situation, political analyst Ahmed Bilal Mehboob said it was quite unfortunate that the decision taken by the party’s political committee to contest by-elections was reversed by jailed founder Imran Khan.
The PTI is more of a ‘one-man show’ than any other political party, he noted.
He also noted with irony that the party had decided, once again, to leave all parliamentary committees, especially the PAC. “This is the same act it committed when it left the National Assembly and ceded all provinces, where it was ruling, one by one,” he added.
Ikram Junaidi in Islamabad and Mansoor Malik in Lahore also contributed to this report
