Tickets distribution: Imran vows to address workers' reservations
June 11, 2018
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has vowed to address reservations of party workers over distribution of party tickets for the forthcoming elections.
In his message to old party workers, Khan said, "If any of you feel you have been neglected or unfairly overlooked in allocation of party tickets, you should bring a petition to PTI central office."
The petition should be addressed to additional secretary general Arshad Dad, the PTI chief wrote on Twitter.
"I will personally review each petition and take action accordingly," he vowed.
"I would never knowingly treat any of our old workers and loyalists unjustly."
Earlier on Saturday, PTI workers staged a protest outside the Bani Gala residence of the PTI chief. The protest continued overnight with dozens of workers alleging that the party did not issue tickets on the basis of merit.
On the weekend, a protest was held on Ilford Lane, East London, by supporters of another PTI member Aatif Chaudhry. The protestors called on Imran Khan to review his decision and award ticket to Chaudhry.
Chaudhry surrendered his British nationality to stand in May 2013 election from NA-123 and obtained more than 40 thousand votes while contesting against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's Malik Pervaiz.
He didn’t come back to London and continued to work locally on the advice of Imran Khan and claims that he was promised by Khan himself that he would get a National Assembly ticket. However, Chaudhry has been denied a ticket by the party leadership.
Chaudhry applied from NA-127 which prior to the new delimitation was NA-123 – to stand on PTI’s ticket for next month’s general election. He blamed 'grouping' within the party as the reason he was denied the ticket.
The protestors called on Imran Khan to review his decision and award ticket to Chaudhary.
Chaudhry, 39, was running a successful cars and real estate business in London but decided to surrender his British nationality after Imran Khan told him to do so.
He had joined PTI in 2007 in London and headed the party’s London chapter for four years, besides heading many campaigns by the party.
