AFTER remaining in power for four years, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is going for ‘electables’ and turncoats as the recent joining of Arbab Najeebullah Khalil and others suggests.

“Is this the case of PTI evaluating its prospects in the next general elections, fearing it may not be as relevant to voters after five years in power,” analysts question. And what implications will it have for Imran Khan’s image and PTI if the induction of turncoats in the party continues?

Prof Hussain Shaheed Soherwordi said that PTI slogans were to break status quo, end corruption, replicate Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre model in health system and change class-based education system.

“If the party materialises these slogans, then it would be a revolution, but it did not happen when we look into four years performance of the party,” he said.

Insider says 80pc of sitting MPAs will not get party tickets for next polls

Prof Soherwordi, who is teaching international relations in University of Peshawar, said that after four years in power, PTI failed to improve health system and end corruption. “Its government brought a little bit improvement in education,” he added.

The entry of turncoats and electables in the party particularly in KP has worried diehard supporters of PTI. They said that the party might not look for winning horses for the next elections if performance of the MPAs and ministers was satisfactory.

“Our MPAs and ministers did not come up to the expectations of the party and people of KP,” said one insider, adding that entry of turncoats was tarnishing image of the party and chairman. It was also a fact that with the existing team PTI would hardly retain its position in KP in the next elections, he added.

“The party has decided in principle that 80 per cent of the sitting MPAs of KP Assembly will not be awarded tickets for the next general elections,” said the insider.

Similarly, he said, sitting MNAs from Peshawar would not qualify for National Assembly tickets and they would be offered provincial assembly tickets, because of their “performance.”

According to the source, the party is likely to award ticket to Shaukat Ali for NA-1 in the next elections. Shaukat Ali had quit PPP and joined PTI. Arbab Najeebullah Khalil, who left ANP recently, is a strong contender for NA-2 ticket and he may replace the sitting MNA, Hamidul Haq.

Former PPP MNA Noor Alam Khan, who also made entry in PTI, will be the candidate from NA-3 while Arbab Mohammad Amir, who also left ANP, will get ticket for NA-4.

Prominent figure from Karak district Fareed Toofan, who changed many parties in the recent past, also joined PTI. The party is making efforts to bring maximum number of turncoats into its folds before elections. Chief Minister Pervez Khattak made botched attempts to bring his old comrade and stalwart of PPP from Peshawar Syed Zahir Ali Shah to PTI.

Like Mutahidda Majlis-i-Amal, a conglomerate of religious parties, stunning result in KP in 2002, PTI also swept polls in 2013. The party won all four National Assembly seats and 10 of the 11 seats of provincial assembly from Peshawar.

Imran’s charisma was major factor in the landslide victory of PTI in the previous general elections. Imran is still popular among the voters, particularly the young lot. But Imran’s magnet may not work in KP in the upcoming elections.

Pervez Khattak and his team ‘unimpressed performance’ have baffled people, who had given vote to PTI for change. “As far as Imran Khan is concerned, we still expect that he can deliver, but the party’s ministers, MPAs and MNAs have disappointed people,” said Mohammad Raban, a PTI worker from NA-3 Peshawar.

“I am still great admirer of Imran and never miss his public meetings, but may not give vote to the party if the sitting MPA is awarded ticket in the next elections,” said Adil Khan, a worker of PTI from Sikandar Garhi.

PTI MPA Qurban Ali Khan said that the party leadership had lost ideology and manifesto to bring change in the system. He said that on the one hand the party was making tall claims of change while on the other hand turncoats were being inducted.

“I told Imran Khan that PTI is doing the same what other political parties were doing. If team’s performance is good there is no need for bringing electables to the party,” said Mr Khan. He added that leadership was confusing people through such tactics.

Prof Soherwordi said that with the passing of time, people realised that PTI became the stereotype party like other political parties and had started betting on winning horses to win next elections.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2017