THE Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf announced the organisational structure of its Azad Jammu and Kashmir chapter in July 2019. In my opinion the PTI top leadership made the changes without taking into consideration the ground realities that prevail in the state.

In the new set-up the PTI inducted 90 per cent new faces, who were unaware of the nitty-gritty of constituency politics. As a result the party has been unable to make any worthwhile impact.

In the early days after the reorganisation, the PTI leadership in Islamabad had high expectations which have now fallen by the wayside. Even the common man in AJK is aware of the factions and infighting that has occurred.

The AJK chapter’s general secretary and regional deputy secretaries are confined to Islamabad and engaged in drawing room and social media politics. This is why the PTI has not fared well to emerge as a mainstream political party in the state.

If the top PTI leadership is serious about making an impact in AJK politics, then it needs to do a sagacious rethink of its organisational setup.

Shakil Ur Rehman
Saudi Arabia

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2020