PTI Intra-Party Elections: Barrister Gohar Ali Khan files nomination papers for chairman post

PTI Intra-Party Elections: In advance of the internal party elections, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has submitted his nomination papers for the position of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman. Barrister Ali Zafar withdrew from the contest, citing a conflict of interest stemming from his representation of Imran Khan in several legal matters.

According to the media reports, this would be the second term of Barrister Gohar Ali Khan as PTI chief if elected as previously he was made PTI chairman in the intra-party elections conducted on December 2, 2023.

The Supreme Court upheld the Election Commission of Pakistan’s plea to uphold its decision declaring the PTI’s intra-party elections null and void due to administrative irregularities due to its failure to adhere to its own Constitution and the provisions of the Election Act 2017 and Election Rules 2017. This development follows the party’s announcement last week that it would hold new intra-party elections on March 3.

According to the election schedule published by the party’s Federal Election Commissioner, Raoof Hasan, the candidates who wished to run in the intra-party votes had until Sunday, February 25, to file their applications. In the meanwhile, the PTI’s effort to be eligible for the election symbol will see voting on March 3 at the party’s central office and provincial secretariats, with the final decision on nomination papers to be published on February 27.

Also read: Maryam Nawaz elects as Punjab Chief Minister & vows to keep revenge behind

A 15-member panel headed by Central Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan filed nomination papers for the central organization in addition to Gohar’s candidacy papers for the party’s top post. Meanwhile, the nomination papers for the chairmanship have been turned in by Ashraf Qureshi of Sindh, Muhammad Aslam of Balochistan, and Naveed Anjum of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

In addition, Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Muhammad Khan Madni, and Asad Hanif filed candidacy papers for the party’s Punjab organization’s panels. Similarly, nomination papers for the party’s Sindh organization were received from two panels, led by Bakhsh Ghulam Muhammad and Haleem Adil Sheikh, who were nominated by the founder chairman.

Dr. Munir Baloch, the founder chairman of Balochistan, and the other five nominees sent in their nomination papers with their panels. For the party’s Balochistan chapter, Syed Jafar Agha, Nawabzada Aminullah Jogizai, Dawood Shah, Syed Abdul Sadiq, and Babar Murghzani submitted their nomination papers with respective panels. We also received the nomination documents for a panel headed by Ali Amin Gandapur, who was put forward by the KP founding chairman. Gandapur is one of the few prominent PTI members who has not yet become a member of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

Candidates wishing to run in intra-party elections submitted nomination papers to the party’s election commission, which designated distinct returning officers in the provinces and at the center.