LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Unity Group, led by Jahangir Tareen, on Friday announced support Chaudhry Sarwar as its candidate for PTI Punjab president in the intra-party election.

The Unity Group announcement was made at the press conference at a local hotel on Friday.

On the other hand, the Ideological Workers’ Group, led by former MNA Rai Azizullah, has announced fielding MNA Shafqat Mahmood has its presidential candidate after a meeting at Hamid Khan’s office in Islamabad. This group believes the election for PTI Punjab president will be a “combat between passion and wealth”. It has also, reportedly, finalised Waleed Iqbal to be its Lahore president candidate.

Speaking at the news conference by the Unity Group, Jahangir Tareen said the Unity Group had consulted almost every leader, including those belonging to Ideological Group, and tried to create a consensus so that minimum ‘cracks’ might occur within the party.

Mr Tareen formally announced supporting Chaudhry Sarwar who had already himself announced his candidature and was campaigning for it. “The contest between Unity and Ideological groups will tell the nation that the PTI is a democratic party,” he asserted.

Answering a question, Mr Tareen said the party membership campaign would continue until March 31 and election was expected on April 25 – the party’s foundation day.

Mr Tareen said the party would announce its council member candidates soon after a decision would be taken by party’s election commission about the number of council member seats in the centre as well as in Punjab.

Chaudhry Sarwar vowed to come up to the expectations of the party leaders and workers, assuring them that he would take all the decisions after thorough consultations. He declared that he would congratulate his opponent if he would win the intra-party election and expected the same from him.

Abdul Aleem Khan, who withdrew himself from contesting the PTI Punjab president election, said the Unity Group had decided to field Tareen for the slot of PTI secretary general in the centre.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2016