LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI’s) Ejaz Chaudhry and Dr Yasmin Rashid group on Monday swept intra-party elections in three Punjab regions– south, west and north – upsetting Ahsan Rasheed’s group. The candidates contested for 24 seats in the three regions.
In the west region, Mr Chaudhry and Dr Rashid group posted a thumping majority as the panel led by Rai Hasan (president) and Faizullah Kamoka (general secretary) obtained 186 votes against Ahsan Rasheed group’s six votes.
In the south region, the panel led by Noor Baba (president) and Aun Abbas Bappi (general secretary) won with a clear lead of 65 votes. According to reports, polling in south region began two hours late owing to a conflict with regard to status of Multan district’s results.
In Punjab’s north region, a panel led by Sadaqat Ali Abbasi (president) and Hina Manzoor (general secretary) won with a margin of 36 votes.
Talking to Dawn, Mr Chaudhry said PTI workers had elected the grassroots level workers as their leaders and this group would nurture the PTI in its essence and colour. He said the group would announce its candidates for PTI Punjab president and general secretary seats on Tuesday (today).
Dr Rashid said the Punjab regional elections were held in a very congenial manner and the party workers had brought forward a strong leadership from grassroots level besides strengthening party base in urban as well as rural parts of the province.
Owing to the cancellation of district and towns elections (except that for presidents and general secretaries) in Lahore, the Punjab’s central region elections were delayed and had now been re-scheduled for Wednesday (tomorrow).
PTI intra-party elections for 172 seats in Lahore district and 10 towns were held peacefully at Aiwan-i-Iqbal on Monday.
Despite elections scheduled for the third time in Lahore, the PTI workers showed high spirit response at the party elections.
PTI Lahore President Abdul Aleem Khan said the Unity Group has won all seats of Lahore district and 10 towns.Congratulating the winners, Mr Khan said that now he was a president of PTI Lahore and not of a particular group. He said the PTI Lahore chapter would play its vital role in party’s biggest March 23 public meeting at Minar-i-Pakistan.