RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) parliamentary board has decided that its chairman will be contesting the elections from Islamabad’s NA-53- which was previously NA-49- instead of from Rawalpindi, where a close aide of the party chairman will contest.

“Before the meeting of the parliamentary board on Friday, which was chaired by Imran Khan, the party had decided that Imran Khan will contest the elections from NA-61- previously NA-54- in Rawalpindi but the decision was changed because party workers would not accept Amir Kiani from Islamabad,” a senior PTI leader told Dawn.

He said local leaders from Islamabad had differences with Amir Kiani and refused to accept him as MNA from the area.

Party’s parliamentary board decides its chief should let go of Rawalpindi as he is contesting from two more seats in Punjab

“In 2013, Chaudhry Ilyas Mahraban had contested the election but lost. He still worked for the party in the constituency the last five years and participated in the sit-in in front of parliament as well,” he said.

On the other hand, Amir Kiani, who is a close aide of the PTI chairman, was appointed PTI Punjab North president two years ago.

“During a meeting of the parliamentary board, some leaders brought up workers’ resentments and the party chairman decided to contest the elections from Islamabad himself in order to end the differences,” he said.

PTI Central Leader Naeemul Haq, who is also spokesperson for Imran Khan, told Dawn that the party had decided to change the constituency from which Imran Khan will be contesting at the last minute due to two reasons.

“Imran Khan is contesting the 2018 elections from two seats in Punjab- from Lahore and Mianwali- and if he contested the elections from Rawalpindi, it would have been a third seat from the province,” he said.

Mr Haq said the second reason was that that the party wanted to accommodate party workers who had been with the party for the last five years.

He said party workers will run the election campaign as Mr Khan will be busy across the country.

PTI Islamabad has announced it will field Asad Umar in NA-54 and Raja Khurram Nawaz for NA-52.

Chaudhry Ilyas Mehraban told Dawn that the party had made the decision without consulting party workers and local leaders were in opposition of Mr Kiani as he was the president of the party’s Punjab north chapter and should contest the elections from Punjab.

He said local leaders have called a meeting of workers regarding the decision of the party leadership for awarding tickets and that workers will now decide if they accept this.

The party should make decisions with consultation and should not impose their decisions only in order to accommodate friends. He said those who had worked for the party the last five years should be given some respect in the decision making.

Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2018