Khurrum Sher Zaman retains post of PTI Karachi president

By Zia Ur Rehman

After weeks of consultations to overcome differences in restructuring the party in the Karachi region, the Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) has finally announced new office-bearers for the city, mainly accommodating the party’s parliamentarians. The party’s organiser, Saifullah Niazi, on Saturday made the announcement through a notification after visiting Karachi to meet various party leaders earlier this month. According to the notification, PTI MPA from District South Khurrum Sher Zaman has been appointed again as the party’s president for the Karachi region while MPA from District West Saeed Afridi has been made the secretary general. Hunaid Lakhani, who had been aspiring for the post of the president, has been appointed as the PTI Karachi senior vice president. Party sources said the party leadership assured Lakhani that he would be given a key post for the upcoming local government polls in the city. Subhan Ali Sahil, a founding member of the party, has been made the party’s vice-president for the Karachi region. During the 2018 general elections, Sahil was expelled from the party for opposing the party’s candidates after he was denied the party’s ticket for a provincial constituency in the Keamari area. Syed Azharul Hasan Qadri has also been appointed as the party’s vice president for the Karachi region. Mehmood Maulvi, who is an adviser at the ministry of maritime affairs, has been made the PTI Karachi additional secretary general. Hafiz Fazal Kareem, a veteran member of the PTI, was announced as the deputy secretary general for the Karachi region. Jamal Siddiqui, an MPA from District East, has been made the PTI Karachi secretary information. A few months back, he was made the party’s provincial secretary information but the body was dissolved later. Arsalan Mirza has been made the party’s secretary finance for the region. Seven PTI joint secretaries for the Karachi division have also been announced who include Inayat Khattak (District Malir Urban), Tariq Baloch (District Malir Rural), MPA Abbas Jafri (District Central), Saeedur Rehman Madani (District West), Karman Raza (District South), Jawad Ahmed (District East), and Shah Nawaz Siddiqui (District Korangi) After the PTI dissolved its provincial chapters to reorganise the party, its leadership split in Sindh, especially in the provincial capital. It was due to this division among the party’s ranks in the province that the party’s central leaders sent Niazi to enable the party’s restructuring in the province after creating consensus among various warring leaders. During his visit, the PTI chief organiser met Sindh Governor Imran Ismail at the Governor House. After that, he met senior leaders and former party office-bearers of various wings of the party, such as labour, women, youth and minorities, at the party’s secretariat, Insaf House. He also met workers at the party and listened to their problems, complaints, and suggestions.