RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)’s decision to fi eld new candidates for the upcoming local government elections has caused unrest among those party workers who had submitted their nomination forms before the postponement of the elections in January 2014.

In December 2013 and January 2014, the provincial government completed the process of delimitation of union councils and submission of nomination papers. As per the schedule issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the elections were to be held on January 30, 2014. However, on the directions of the Supreme Court, the schedule for the elections in Punjab and Sindh were declared null and void by the ECP.

The apex court put the whole process on hold in January 2014 asking the ECP to reconduct the delimitation of union councils for the local government elections. The provincial governments were also asked to make amendments to the law.

2,200 workers allotted tickets in 2014 oppose party’s decision to invite applications for the upcoming LG elections afresh

In the Rawalpindi district, more than 8,323 candidates had submitted their nomination papers for the two municipal corporations of Rawalpindi and Murree and five municipal committees at Taxila, Gujar Khan, Kahuta, Kalar Syedan and Kotli Sattian.

The PTI district chapter had awarded tickets to more than 2,200 candidates for the 181 union councils in the Rawalpindi district.

Now, these candidates are shuttling between different leaders to know whether or not their previous tickets would be valid for the upcoming elections.

It may be noted that the PTI abolished its district and union council organisations in Rawalpindi and appointed new coordinators.

The newly-appointed organisers fi xed July 30 as the last date for the submission of applications for getting party tickets for the local government elections in the Punjab.

Last year, each of the 2,200 candidates submitted the Rs5,000 fee for the post of chairman and vice-chairman union councils and Rs2,000 for general councilor and youth, labour, minority and woman members.

Now, the party has sought applications with the fee of Rs7,000 for the chairman and vicechairman and Rs4,000 for the general councilor, youth, labour, minority and woman members.

Former nazim Union Council No 25 Sadiqabad and PTI candidate Gulzarin Bhatti told Dawn that all the former candidates wrote a letter to the party chairman to give tickets to those who had qualifi ed last year.

“The party awarded tickets to us for the local government elections a year ago and now it sought new applications without giving proper guidelines about those who had been allotted the tickets after the lengthy process in December 2013.”

He said in January 2014, all the candidates deposited the fee for the party tickets and later submitted the party tickets to the ECP with their nomination papers.

However, he said the party once again sought new applications with new fees for the party tickets.

He alleged that the new organisers of the party wanted to bring their own candidates who recently joined the party but the old workers would not accept them.

Qaiser Kayani, another candidate from Afandi Colony, said the party sought fresh applications but it should award tickets to those who were still willing to contest the elections on the PTI tickets.

He said the new process would create unrest among the party workers who sacrificed for the party for the last 10 to 15 years. He said there was still confusion about the fate of the 2,200 candidates who got the tickets last year.

PTI former district nazim and MPA Arif Abbasi told Dawn that last year the party’s local chapter had awarded tickets to 2,200 candidates in the district and the names should be retained.

“There is no need to give tickets to new candidates and instead of wasting time in this process the party should ask its workers to mobilise the supporters and the citizens for the upcoming elections.”

He said last year the party tickets were awarded on merit and all the old workers were accommodated. “The party should consult the former office-bearers for the continuation of its policies in the district,” he said. When contacted, PTI spokesman Naeemul Haq said the party would award fresh tickets to the aspirants as after a year many things had changed.

He said the process for awarding the tickets for the upcoming local government elections had been started and the candidates should submit new applications and the tickets would be awarded on merit.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2015

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