Fortune seems to be smiling on the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf but the party ranks feel disturbed. It appears that workers of PTI see a threat to their prospects in the next elections the kind of politicians the party has become a magnet for.

Such fears have surfaced in the wake of PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s disclosure at a recent press conference that a number of politicians have applied to the party for joining Imran Khan’s justice movement and that a committee, with him at its head, has been tasked to scrutinize the applicants. What for was explained by PTI sources who said the committee was to ensure that “only politicians with clean record” are taken into the party.

However, the first two cleared by the committee - former PML-Q MNAs from Punjab Chaudhry Saeed Ahmed Virk and Riaz Fatiyana – were seen by hardcore PTI workers as represented the class of politicians who have roots but want to leave their withering party for “better prospects”.

Many such politicians can be expected to leave the PPP, “that all but shrunk to Sindh party”, and heading for PTI, say the hardcore dissenters.

And if the PTI opens its doors to them as its possible candidates in the next election, the step would show to the electorate that the PTI remains stuck with its old mould of so-called “electables”.

It is indeed a second entry into PTI for Chaudhry Saeed Ahmad Virk, despite a poor election record.

His only win was in 2002 general election on PML-Q ticket from Sheikhupura city. But he lost the 2008 election and joined the PTI prior to the 2013 election in the hope of the party ticket.

When the PTI preferred young, foreign qualified Abubaker Virk over him, Chaudhry sahib left the party and fought as independent and lost. The fight between the two Virks won the PML-N the contested seat.

However, in contrast, Riaz Fatiyana is a veteran politician from Toba Tek Singh. He served as a minister in the 1993-1996 Punjab government of Chief Minister Manzoor Watto, and sat in the National Assembly from 2002 to 2013, as PML-Q member. His 11-year run ended when he contested the May 2013 general election as an independent and lost.

According to a senior PTI official, the party ranks are divided over the entry of Chaudhry Virk and Riaz Fatiyana.

“Politicians claiming like Mr Virk and Mr Fatiyana secured constituencies would not settle for anything less than confirmed party tickets for next elections. Where that would leave the PTI workers who have worked hard all these years with hopes to be recognized for their services in the form of party tickets?” said a PTI office bearer who didn’t endorse the two new entrants.

That may be a valid point but another former PML-Q minister has expressed a desire to join the PTI. His only condition is a confirmed party ticket for next general elections.

Approached by Dawn, he candidly admitted that the rising PTI offers a winning political platform in Punjab. “Ticket or no ticket, I will fight the election anyway,” he said.

Aspirants like him will find all PTI doors open for them, if the other thinking in the party – welcome politicians of all hues and decide who gets the party ticket internally when the time comes. Just take care that “the new entrants fulfil PTI’s minimum benchmark and have not been involved in fraud cases etc,” they say.

“Award of tickets is a different matter,” said an incumbent PTI lawmaker. “PTI has its own internal mechanism of elections and, therefore, those who get maximum support in their respective area will eventually get the ticket,” he explained. He stood for the party admitting former MNAs “without any preconditions”.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2015

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