Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf Chief Imran Khan. – File Photo Reuters

ISLAMABAD: The Central Executive Committee of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf on Sunday took crucial decisions about its constitution and intra-party elections. The committee also announced its decision to launch a membership drive in and outside the country from Monday.

The leadership remained undecided on dissolving party’s organisational structure due to lack of consensus on the issue, party sources told Dawn.

The CEC unanimously approved the draft of the party’s new constitution and nominated Abrar-ul-Haq as the president of the youth wing of the party.

Addressing a news conference after chairing the CEC meeting, Mr Khan declared that “come what may intra-party elections will be held strictly in accordance with the approved constitution”. He, however, did not announce any date for polling.

Party President Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Dr Arif Alvi and Shafqat Mehmood were present on the occasion.

Mr Khan dismissed the impression that party elections could lead to intra-party conflicts.

The CEC also finalised a schedule for the membership drive which could see registration of five to six million youths within three months.

“As we conclude the membership drive, a decision to elect the party’s new chairman, president, vice president and provincial leaders will be taken through free and fair electoral process,” Mr Khan said, adding that the “PTI is a democratic party and its leaders will be elected through a democratic process”.

“All PTI elected leaders and members of the CEC will declare their assets along with tax returns before applying for the party ticket,” he said. The party would introduce a unique local government system after coming to power.

Looking rather upbeat, Mr Khan claimed that he had resolved differences in the party in a democratic manner and now the PTI was a one entity and would remain so in future.

“The process of change has already begun because the people, particularly youths, continue to join the PTI in large numbers,” he said.

He claimed that he would cut the rampant corruption by half within 90 days after forming the government after the general election, recalling how 20 years ago he had fulfilled his promise of winning the World Cup on the same day (March 25).

He asked those who had termed the PTI a party of political orphans to ponder over his recent public meetings in Mianwali and Sialkot.

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