The embattled Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of former prime minister Imran Khan on Friday postponed its intra-party elections, which were scheduled to be held on February 5, just three days before the February 8 general elections.
The party cited the “unfortunate security situation created by the administration” and concerns expressed by the members as the reason for the postponement of the PTI’s intra-party elections.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan had stripped the PTI of its electoral symbol of bat and upheld Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to declare the party’s internal polls “unconstitutional”.
Speaking to Geo News’ Shahzad Iqbal on a live show on Friday, PTI Information Secretary Raoof Hasan further explained the reasons for postponement of the intra-party elections. He said the PTI had convened a general body meeting of the party at its Central Secretariat in Islamabad and provincial headquarters in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan at 2pm on January 31.
He said the police laid a siege to the PTI Central Secretariat and did not allow the party leaders to attend the general body meeting. He said he was inside the Central Secretariat when the police sent him a message to leave the place because they were going to seal the premises. He said that he and other members of his party left the premises and the police sealed it.
Police has blacked passage to PTI central secretariat to stop the holding of general body meeting in connection with holding intra-party elections. This is a blatant & disdainful manifestation of state barbarity & fascism to stop PTI from conducting an exercise as per SC order. pic.twitter.com/8nAUcLjNgD
— Raoof Hasan (@RaoofHasan) January 31, 2024
Hasan, former special assistant to the prime minister on information and broadcasting, said that party’s general body meeting was held virtually after the police sealed the Central Secretariat and key decisions were made at the meeting. He said it was decided at the general body meeting that the PTI would hold its intra-party elections on February 5. He said that he was appointed the chief election commissioner for the intra-party elections at the same meeting.
پی ٹی آئی نے انٹراپارٹی الیکشن کیوں ملتوی کیے۔ پارٹی ترجمان روف حسن نے وجہ بتا دی۔
— Shahzad Iqbal (@ShahzadIqbalGEO) February 2, 2024
Hasan said he issued the schedule for the PTI’s intra-party elections the same day. Soon after the announcement, he said, the party received reports that the caretaker government and its administrative machinery would “disrupt” the PTI’s intra-party elections and not let the party members gather for voting. Against this backdrop, a meeting of the PTI committee was convened and it was decided that party founder Imran Khan would be informed about this situation. He said that Imran Khan ordered postponement of the intra-party elections and Barrister Gohar Ali Khan announced Imran Khan’s decision in front of the media.
More police presence at PTI Central Secretariat to block the holding of general body meeting. pic.twitter.com/DzJNNmOpVs
— Raoof Hasan (@RaoofHasan) January 31, 2024
When Shahzad Iqbal pointed out that Barrister Gohar Ali Khan gave a different reason for postponement of the PTI’s intra-party elections as he had said that intra-party elections at this time would divert party leaders’ attention from the general elections, Raoof Hasan said this too was one of the reasons for postponement of the intra-party elections. He said he had mentioned this point in his statement when he announced rescheduling of the intra-party elections.
Responding to a question, Hasan said the PTI did not have any expectations from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) when it comes to reclaiming its electoral symbol of bat. He said the ECP did not take the PTI’s election symbol away to return it to his party just a few days later. He said the PTI was going to hold the intra-party elections just to complete the technical formalities and throw the ball in the court of the ECP and the Supreme Court of Pakistan again.