ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) core committee took two important decisions on Sunday; deferring its return to the National Assembly until a formal notification announcing the formation of the judicial commission to investigate alleged rigging in the 2013 elections, and endorsing a report by the party’s internal election tribunal. The latter recommends the dissolution of all organisational committees within the party, to be followed by fresh intra-party elections.

After PTI and the government reached an agreement over the constitution of the much-touted judicial commission over the weekend, many PTI lawmakers were hoping for a swift return to the legislatures, where they had resigned from in August of last year.

However, their expectations were somewhat dashed when the core committee, chaired by defiant PTI chief Imran Khan, ruled “that the decision whether to return to the assemblies would be taken after the actual formation of the judicial commission”.

When asked for clarification, a senior PTI leader and core committee member told Dawn, “Yes, a majority of PTI MNAs want to go back to the house, but the party leadership has decided first to ensure the official setting up of the commission and see how it works, then it will choose whether to go back to the National Assembly.” The main issue at hand is the timely formation of the commission and its smooth working, not the PTI MNAs’ return to parliament, he said.

Several PTI leaders, including Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, had repeatedly said that following the notification of the commission through a presidential ordinance, the PTI will go back to the National Assembly. Now, according to a party insider, it seems the PTI doesn’t want to appear impatient to get back into parliament and are looking for a plausible excuse.

Taking to Dawn, Shafqat Mehmood, the sole PTI MNA from Lahore, said that since the issuance of a formal notification involves several steps, such as the government’s consultation with its allies, the issuance of a presidential ordinance and the nomination of three judges by the Supreme Court, “we have decided to only take up the matter of our return to the assemblies after the judicial commission begins functioning.”

Asked about their chances of their going back to the house, Mr Mehmood said it was up to the party leadership, which could decide either way. “Our main emphasis is on the investigation of the last general elections.”

Dissolution of PTI committees

The core committee also approved a report, prepared by the party’s internal election tribunal, and dissolved all its organisational committees except the office of the chairman. “The PTI senior leadership welcomed the report in the democratic spirit, which the PTI embodies,” said the press statement released after the meeting.

Although during the meeting some core committee members objected to the findings of the Justice (retired) Wajihuddin Ahmad-led election commission, it was decided in the end that the report would be accepted in letter and spirit.

The party election tribunal had raised questions on the genuineness of the last intra-party elections held in 2012-13 and recommended fresh elections at all levels. Many losing candidates at various tiers had objected to the results of intra-party elections, arguing that the SMS-based voting system was flawed.

Although the PTI chairman boasted of his decision to hold intra party elections on various forums, the exercise was flawed, according to the Justice Wajihuddin’s report.

Although the PTI has yet to formally release the report, according to one party source, “it makes obvious reference to the use of money to buy votes at various levels.”

According to the core committee’s decision, the PTI chairman will now constitute a new election commission, which then will be tasked to finalise party membership and election modalities. “The EC will recommend to the chairman the time period required for holding intra-party elections after assessing the administrative/constitutional requirements.”

Despite the dissolution of the party’s organisation committees, the PTI chairman decided that all incumbent office bearers of the party will keep discharging their duties. “The current political climate and the fluid situation require this decision as the party cannot function in a vacuum,” PTI spokesperson Dr Shireen Mazari explained in a statement.

Party heads to meet

Following their agreement with the PTI, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has called a meeting of the heads of parliamentary parties on Tuesday. Senator Ishaq Dar, who was the lead government negotiator in talks with the PTI, has written formally to party heads in this regard.

Published in Dawn March 23rd , 2015

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