ISLAMABAD: In a late-night development, PTI announced that Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Omar Ayub were elected the party’s chairman and general secretary, respectively, after their opponents withdrew nomination papers.

Similarly, provincial presidents of Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapters were also announced. An election will now only be held to elect the Balochistan chapter president.

In Balochistan, three candidates, Amin Khan Jogazai, Dawood Shah, and Munir Ahmed Baloch, will contest the election on March 3.

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PTI was set to hold intra-party elections on March 3, for which a number of leaders submitted their nomination papers as panels.

Gohar, Omar to be chariman and secy general, respectively, after their rivals ‘withdraw’ papers

But a majority of those leaders withdrew nomination papers only two days before the election, PTI’s Federal Election Commi­ssioner Raoof Hasan told Dawn.

In the absence of opponents on most seats, he was left with no option but to notify the unopposed winners.

According to a notice issued by Mr Hasan and seen by Dawn, there was only one candidate each for the posts of chairman; secretary general; and Punjab, KP and Sindh presidents.

“There shall be no polling for the stated five positions. Polling shall take place only in Quetta for the election of President Balochistan Panel,” the notice said, adding that the federal election commissioner will declare the final result on March 3.

As per the final list, signed by Mr Hasan and available with Dawn, Yasmin Rashid, Ali Amin Gandapur and Haleem Adil Sheikh were elected presidents of PTI’s Punjab, KP and Sindh chapters, respectively.

For the March 3 election, Mr Gohar was the only leader to have submitted his candidature for the top post. Mr Ayub, along with a 15-member panel, had submitted nomination papers for the position of general secretary.

In Punjab, Dr Rashid, who is currently in prison, was Mr Khan’s nominee to lead the party’s provincial chapter. So was Mr Sheikh in Sindh, Dr Baloch in Balochistan and Mr Gandapur in KP.

The victory of Mr Khan-backed candidates was guaranteed anyway, but to meet ECP’s requirement and avoid any unopposed election, rival panels also submitted nomination papers.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2024