Gohar Khan nominated for PTI chairman, Imran Khan to not take part in intra-party polls

ISLAMABAD, Nov 29 (SABAH): PTI’s Barrister Ali Zafar announced on Wednesday that Chairman Imran Khan will not be contesting the intra-party polls scheduled for December 2 (Saturday) due to his legal problems, and also confirmed that Barrister Gohar Khan had been nominated for the slot of party chairmanship in a “temporary arrangement”.

The announcement comes a day after the party found itself embroiled in fresh controversy after denying a statement by one of its own senior leaders, who had claimed that Imran would not contest the upcoming intra-party polls for the slot of party chairman and that he had picked someone to contest in his stead.

Speaking to the media outside the Election Commission of Pakistan in Islamabad today, Zafar recalled that Imran had been convicted in the Toshakhana case as he highlighted the incumbent party chairman’s legal challenges.

On August 5, a trial court in Islamabad had convicted the PTI chief in the case filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that involved concealing details of state gifts and jailed him for three years. The verdict meant he was disqualified from contesting general elections for five years. However, the same month the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had suspended PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s three-year sentence but he still remains in jail in other cases.

In his media talk, Zafar maintained that a person could not be disqualified for failing to declare Toshakhana gifts. At the same time, he said that the party wanted to pre-empt any “illegal or unconstitutional” steps by the ECP to prevent the party from getting the bat as its poll symbol or cancel the nominations of its candidates.

He noted that while Imran’s Toshakhana sentence has been suspended, a “final decision” had not yet been made.

He said that all these matters were discussed with Imran in the presence of other lawyers. He quoted Imran as saying that he did not want to give the ECP any “excuse” for not giving the party the bat symbol in the upcoming general elections, rejecting the nomination of candidates or for not participating in the election.

“The public is with us. We will win the elections when they happen. I want to take part in the general election. Intra-party polls hold no meaning for me. I want that the Toshkahana case is decided as soon as possible. When it is decided, I will contest intra-party polls as chairman,” Zafar quoted Imran as saying.

He further said that the ex-premier had directed the party to hold intra-party polls, adding that the decision was placed before the senior leadership which had approved it. He said that Imran would not contest intra-party polls until the Toshakhana case was decided.

Zafar said that the question then arose about the candidates for the intra-party polls as well as the nominee for “caretaker chairman”. He said that the names of several prominent personalities were discussed but all of them had been appointed to permanent positions within the party.

“It would not be appropriate to give them a temporary position. That is why we need someone who is not controversial and can play a role in this caretaker mode, this temporary arrangement,” he said.

Announcing Gohar as the nominee for chairman, Zafar said that he was an appropriate pick for a “temporary arrangement”. “With his nomination, you will realise that this is not a minus-one formula, that this is not a coup. He is Imran Khan sahib’s own nominee and is appropriate for the temporary arrangement we are [implementing].”

Zafar further said, “PTI is Imran Khan and Imran Khan is PTI. PTI is nothing without Imran Khan. It doesn’t matter if you’re the chairman on paper. The leader, and the continuous leader, is Imran Khan sahib.”

Zafar said that the party had to overcome legal hurdles as well as implement the ECP’s “illegal and unconstitutional” order on holding intra-party polls which is why it was taking this step.

Meanwhile, Gohar said, “I am speechless. I do not have the words to thank Imran Khan sahib.”

He said that the Imran was the leader of the PTI whether he was in jail or whether he was free. “Khan sahib was the leader and chairman, is the chairman and God willing will remain the chairman,” he said, adding that he would handle the post as party chairman until Imran returned.