ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) has constituted a four-member team of regional presidents, who will lead the party’s preparations for the next general elections in the key province of Punjab.

These regional presidents, according to the party sources, will discharge their duties under the direct supervision of Chairman Imran Khan, and in consultation with General Secretary Jahangir Tareen.

It may be a coincidence, but at least three of the four regional presidents were previously associated with the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q).

Sources said the decision to divide Punjab into four regions had been taken in view of its 148 National Assembly seats, which always played a crucial role in the formation of the federal government. Moreover, the province also sends 35 women to the National Assembly on reserved seats.

“The decision has been taken as part of the party’s preparations for the next general elections and the regional presidents have been given just one assignment: to win the elections in their respective regions,” a senior party leader told Dawn.

Picks include three former PML-Q men and an old party loyalist

As per the notification issued by the party’s media secretariat, Punjab has been divided into four regions; north, central, west and south.

The central region, which covers the most populous Lahore and Gujranwala divisions, will be looked after by Abdul Aleem Khan. A former PML-Q provincial minister who later joined the PTI, Aleem Khan came to the fore only last year, when he was pitched against National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in by-elections from the NA-122 constituency in Lahore.

Though he lost the election by a slim margin of around 2,000 votes, he put up a good fight and his party managed to win a provincial assembly seat from the same area.

Known to have both financial muscle and political organisational skills Aleem Khan has been chosen ahead of Ijaz Chaudhry, the former party president in Punjab, and Mian Mehmoodur Rashid, the leader of the opposition in the Punjab Assembly. Mr Aleem will be responsible for around 48 National Assembly constituencies.

For the south region, the PTI chairman has decided to bring in veteran politician and another former PML-Q minister, Ishaq Khakwani. Given that his area of responsibility consists of the 43 National Assembly seats from the Bahawalpur, Multan and D.G. Khan divisions, Mr Khakwani will have a tough time proving his worth, first in the party’s upcoming protest movement and then in the general elections.

The west region, which has the Sahiwal and Faisalabad divisions, will be managed by Chaudhry Mohammad Ashfaq, a businessman from Toba Tek Singh. A former district nazim with the PML-Q, for some in the party Mr Ashfaq’s was a relatively surprising appointment. However, a known businessman with links to the grassroots level, the PTI leadership believes Mr Ashfaq can serve the party’s interests in the region.

For the Rawalpindi and Sargodha divisions, which fall under the northern region, the party chairman has picked an old associate and trusted friend, the lesser-known Amir Kiyani. The only strength of Mr Kiyani, according to party sources, is his out-and-out loyalty towards the chairman and his cause — having been with Mr Khan since the party was launched in the mid-90s.

When asked, another senior party leader and lawmaker told Dawn: “the decision has been taken following in-depth discussions, therefore, it will be difficult for anybody to raise questions over these appointments.”

Asked if the four regional presidents will usher the party towards the next general elections from their respective regions, the PTI lawmaker said their first test would be how they mobilised party workers for the protest movement, planned over the next couple of months.

“Frankly speaking, come November, I will be better placed to answer the question whether they (regional presidents) will keep their positions until the next general elections, which are due in May 2018,” he said.

Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar, who was candidate for the post of party president in Punjab in the now-postponed intra-party elections, has yet to be given party office.

Upon inquiry, a party insider said that the chairman was being cautious in giving him another assignment due to the divisive campaign Mr Sarwar ran for the top party position in Punjab. He will certainly be given a position at the central level, however, it is still not clear what that position will be.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2016