Some PTI workers face dejection

Party official terms report propaganda

ISLAMABAD: As the PanamaLeaks bogey is fast treading towards its destined end or at least fading in the lurch due mainly to prime minister’s ailment and remaining away from the country for at least another week, PTI, the main opposition party, seems to be facing a situation where some of its leaders are disgruntled, disenchanted and disappointed especially after revelation of an offshore company owned by party chairman. Whatever justification Imran Khan may offer as to why he kept his involvement in keeping his offshore company secret until it was leaked by media the fact of matter is that some of Khan’s followers have felt dejected and cannot defend.

A high profile PTI leader who fell from Khan’s favours and who was a champion defender of the party and its chairman till recently told The News that he had shun to partake in television shows as he finds no words to defend his party chairman on Panama Papers leaks. Like him many party leaders have either went dormant or sidelined themselves not to be asked harsh questions.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman finally called off the much trumpeted intra-party polls fearing that the party was fast treading towards a total disorder and the decision was also directed against ‘fixing up’ the ones creating discontent and bringing in his handpicked to keep his control over the party. In fact he had decided on giving up the idea of holding such polls after Justice Wajihuddin’s commission report which recommended harsh punishments for his top aides as he could ill afford to lose the potential financiers of his party by one stroke of pen who had won the sham intra-party polls by using all the unfair means and his own support. He was once again faced with the same situation had he went for the party polls he feared to loosen his grip from the party even more. The very first appointment of provincial president in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is seen as an attempt to fix things slipping out of his hands.

Insiders say that by appointing Shahram Khan and that too without consulting the provincial chief minister Parvaiz Khattak points to Khan’s intentions of pitting his old party loyalist against the CM in the near future when he would blame him for failing the party in the province’s governance. “There is a deep rooted misunderstanding creeping up between party chairman and KP CM over the governance issues and he may soon seek his replacement”, said a party old guard requesting anonymity.

A PTI official when approached told this correspondent on condition of not being named that reports of any disappointment in the party are totally wrong. He said it is propaganda by the opponents of the party. He said the party leaders continue to defend the chairman without any disruption.

He said every party faces difference of opinion among its file and rank and same is the case with PTI. It should not be taken as a party weakness, he said.