PTI postpones intra-party polls

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Thursday announced the postponement of its intra-party elections, only a day after issuing the schedule for holding it on February 5 (Monday).

The decision to postpone the intra-party polls came on the directives of the PTI founder Imran Khan, the party's Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan told Geo News.

"Intra-party elections can divert the attention of candidates and voters from the general elections," the PTI chief said.

With just days left for the February 8 general elections, the party seems stuck in limbo, particularly after it was not issued its traditional electoral symbol "bat" following months of legal skirmishes with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

A day earlier, the party's central media department, on Thursday, released an official schedule, citing the appointment of spokesperson Raoof Hasan as the federal election commissioner for the polls.

"The PTI Federal Election Commission is pleased to announce the Election Schedule for the Intra-party Elections (IPE) of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to elect the Chairman, Central and Provincial Organisations," the statement read.

PTI's previously held intra-party polls were surrounded by controversy after PTI founding member Akbar S Babar challenged the elections, requesting ECP to order the Imran Khan-led party to conduct fresh polls.

Following the polls held in Peshawar, on December 2, to elect the party's new officeholders including a replacement for former chairman Imran, the party members voted in favour of Barrister Gohar Khan, the ex-PTI chief's lawyer whom he nominated himself for the key post.

In the wake of the elections, Babar refused to accept the polls and move the electoral authority against the irregularities. The senior politician added that he and other founding leaders are part of the party following the high court’s decision.