PTI allotted tickets on merit: Qureshi

MULTAN: Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf vice-chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the party tickets were allotted on merit according to the fixed criteria of eligibility.

He was addressing a press conference at Babul Quraish on Friday. He tried to calm down PTI south Punjab general secretary Aoun Abbass Bappi on expressing strong reservations over the allotment of party tickets in south Punjab, saying Bappi criticised the party decision which was his democratic right.

“Bappi is like my son as he expresses strong reservations on allotment of party tickets but the party leadership has decided purely on merit. Party’s ticket allotment has been under criticism, which is illogical and unfair. PTI chairman Imran Khan had constituted a board for distribution of party tickets and he was one of the members of the board. The PTI election board had set a criteria for allotment of party tickets to aspirants on fulfilling the criteria,” he added.

The PTI election board unanimously adopted three key conditions as criteria for allotment of party tickets to contenders, which include honesty, party loyalty and eligibility. The PTI had received more than 4,500 applications from Multan for party tickets.

Bappi had intimated the party in the past that he was interested in getting the party office rather contesting the election. Later, he submitted application from NA-155 Multan-III where he had no work for the party in the constituency. He said Multan district PTI president Ijaz Hussain Janjua contributed more than Aoun Abbas Bappi for the party. Even the services of party workers Munawar Qureshi, Wasim Khan Badozai, Moeen Qureshi and ex-PTI MPA Javed Ansari were more than Bappi.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi said he did not violate the party discipline. The decision of Imran Khan would be considered final in allotment of the tickets. He contradicted advocating allotment of party ticket to Sikandar Bosan from NA-154 Multan-I because he has no contact with him since long. He said he had recommended Bappi for PTI south Punjab general secretary office.

Similarly, the stance of Nazir Jutt and his reservations on allotment of party ticket was his personal view rather the party. He said PTI chairman Imran Khan prefers honesty, loyalty with the party in allotment of party ticket. “This is the time for sacrifices to ensure Imran Khan become a prime minister.” To a query, he said seat adjustment with Jamshaid Dasti was decided by Imran Khan purely on merit. He categorically said that he had no differences with Jahangir Tareen.

Earlier, Bappi in his press conference criticised PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi for allotting the party tickets to his family members and near and dear ones. He complained that he had consumed his blood for the party but the party did not allot him the ticket for election in NA-155 Multan-II. He said he was not fighting against him but was fighting to stop the party for taking wrong decisions in allotment of party tickets in other constituencies. He said the party had ignored the workers who were deeply committed to the party. He appealed to the party leadership to respect the workers.

Bappi appealed to the PTI chairman to take his decisions by himself rather misguided by other party leaders. “If Imran Khan allots party tickets to candidates based on personal relationship with some PTI leaders then the disappointed workers would not come out of their homes on July 25. Some PTI leaders have misguided Khan, giving wrong impression about the contenders of their personnel choice regarding issuance of party tickets,” he complained.

He expressed serious reservations on the nepotism policy of PTI vice-chairman, saying he not only allocated party ticket for himself from NA-156 Multan-III but also for the MPA slot and one ticket for his son Zain Qureshi from NA-157 Multan-IV. Qureshi allocated one ticket for close aide Ami Doggar from NA-155 Multan-III and another ticket for his nephew from Mian Channu. Qureshi recommended the candidates purely on his personal relation with the candidates instead of merit, he alleged.