PTI leader Imran Khan had directed the postponement of the elections about two weeks ago to first review structure for its overseas chapters. A ‘Special Committee’ comprising of Asad Umar, Shafqat Mehmood, Saifullah Niazi and Dr Arif Alvi was tasked to review functioning of international chapters and submit recommendations for improvements.
A source in the PTI informed that the ‘Special Committee’ submitted their report to the PTI Central Executive (CEC) and Core Committees (CC) on 17th March in which several recommendations to strengthen Office of International Chapters (OIC) were made as well as recommendations on how to cater to the needs of party’s overseas chapters.
The PTI CEC and CC showed their satisfaction over functioning of the UK chapter and it was agreed that it was already in compliance with all the recommendations made by the committee. It was recommended that no reason existed to further put UK intra-party elections on hold and it was important that new schedule should be announced.
It has been announced that the election voting day will be Sunday 13th April; Monday 31st March will be the membership cut-off deadline; and Sunday 6th April has been set as the candidate panel nomination deadline. The elections will be held in 12 regions which include London, East of England, South East, South West, North East, North West, West Midlands, East Midlands, Wales, Yorkshire and Humber, East of, Scotland, West of Scotland.
Each region will elect a body comprising of president, vice president, information secretary and general secretary. Thereafter, national body for UK consisting of president and general secretary will be elected from amongst regional elected representatives.
These are 3rd intra-party elections in UK and the chapter has become an important overseas arm of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf which is contributing financially as well as in policy making of the party. Britain has played an important role in taking the PTI in the top league of Pakistani political parties. Its UK chapter is considered a leading overseas chapter in terms of all organisational aspects. The PTI has the distinction of being the only Pakistani political party that is now holding elections on time in a proper democratic manner. The MQM in the UK has a disciplined chapter like it has in Karachi. The PPP and the PML-N are fast becoming irrelevant because both parties lack any democracy in their ranks and these parties are divided in various factions. PTI has become probably the strongest overseas Pakistani party with more than 3,000 paid-up members, mainly youth. As compared the parties lag far behind.
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