In PTI too, loyalty has no worth

Delawar Jan

PESHAWAR: Now it’s official that Pervez Khattak is going to be the next Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister but this decision might sow dissension in the party as bona fide activists and leaders are outraged at the choice. 

The party leadership’s failure to acknowledge the services of Asad Qaiser, a founding PTI activist and elected provincial president of the party, has upset the old workers. Qaiser was preferred on Pervez Khattak, a newcomer to the party, for the coveted post of the chief minister.

“Tehreek-e-Insaf ka pehla insaf,” said a placard held by a PTI worker who was protesting with other people outside Peshawar Press Club. “Asad Qaiser ki 17 sala khidmat (the word khidmat was crossed in red ink that suggests disregard to Qaiser’s services by PTI), Pervez Khattak jumma jumma 8 din,” it added.

This maiden appointment negates several of Imran Khan’s promises. He had proudly said the elected party leadership would be people’s leaders, something he said other parties lacked. In Qaiser’s case, it did not happen. He favoured Khattak, the handpicked central secretary general, against the elected Qaiser. Imran had repeatedly said in the past that he took 17 years deliberately to make leaders from the existing lot of the PTI workers, who would be new and clean. Qaiser rose from being a PTI activist to its provincial leader, which took him 17 years, but blocked to become CM.

As one worker put it, he also broke his word to fight against the status quo by nominating Khattak as CM. There is also contradiction between his words and deeds as he encouraged new faces to contest election to change the system but deprived Qaiser of the exalted post on the same excuse of being inexperience.

Khattak entered the party fold just 18 months ago and has no comparison with Asad Qaiser when it comes to hard work and services for the party, workers said. The chief minister-designate has little, or no, services for PTI but impressed Imran Khan so much that he forced his party loyalist, Asad Qaiser, to withdraw from the run for KP chief minister, they complained.

Khattak has changed three parties since 2008. The PTI voting members rejected him in the intra-party election as provincial president and elected Asad Qaiser, an indication that Khattak was unacceptable to workers. His joining the party in December 2011 had also caused division in the party.

However, Khattak has experience in politics and parliamentary affairs. He is being considered a good negotiator which is important at the time of government formation because the party has to negotiate to other parties.

Qaiser, on the other hand, is party’s loyal activist who joined PTI when Imran Khan founded it in 1996 and remained with it through thick and thin. Along with other founding members, he strengthened the party in the province, spending years to persuade people in streets to become its member. When the party was being taunted as ‘tonga party’ he owned and led it. He would feel no shame to address a gathering of a few individuals.

Many workers said Imran Khan failed his first test by disregarding merit. The foundation of the PTI government was laid on injustice, workers and supporters said.

“This was a test case for Imran Khan to prove he does justice and makes decisions on merit,” said Ayub Hilal, a PTI voter.  “If this party really believes in justice, then it should have been done with Asad Qaiser,” said Tabbasum Bashir, a PTI activist from Swat where the party won the two National Assembly and four provincial assembly seats.

The decision has disheartened Asad Qaiser, but he has chosen to show a stoic resignation to his fate. “I accept all decisions taken by the party,” he said in a text message. “I urge workers to stay united and keep the party functioning,” he added.

However, his call for unity hardly provides solace to many workers who express frustration and dejection. The announcement has reportedly prompted many people to remove PTI flags from their houses. “Pervez Khattak came from another party and cannot bring change,” said Hilal. Khattak doesn’t represent the change, said many workers who voted PTI to power in a hope it would act unconventionally and bring change.

Shah Farman and Atif Khan, two old party leaders, had lent support to Asad Qaiser but Imran shrugged it off. Qaiser, Farman and Atif stayed away from a press conference where PTI, QWP and JI coalition was announced that show their displeasure. Khattak and Qaiser sat together on Friday to tell the media they have no difference. 

People in the city argue in private discussions that Imran’s decision in favour of Khattak might cause doubts in people’s minds about his intention to bring change. They also question his logic behind preferring a newcomer over a dedicated activist.    

The internal strife has soured the party’s victory in election as leaders focused more on jockeying for chief ministership than concentrating on government formation and meeting the perilous challenges.

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PTI CM-designate to Taliban: We are not at war with you

Delawar Jan

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister-designate Pervez Khattak Friday said his party chief Imran Khan would contact his election campaign rival and the likely prime minister Nawaz Sharif to discuss how to bring peace to the country and particularly this province.

In a recent Nawaz-Imran meeting, both had agreed to work together to pull the country out of crises. Pervez Khattak’s revelation indicates that Imran Khan intends to sit with Nawaz Sharif to thrash out a strategy to deal with Taliban.

“Establishing peace tops our priority list,” he said at a news conference. He asked Taliban to give his government a chance before being fought with, as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government had an agenda for peace and development. “We are not at war with Tailban,” he said the day two bombs ripped through two mosques in Malakand Agency that killed 23 people. A day before he expressed these remarks, the militants attacked a military convoy near the provincial capital, killing soldiers and civilians.

“We don’t want to fight with them (Taliban). We wish peace, and we will hold negotiations with them,” he said. His party chief Imran Khan had promised during election campaign to end terrorism within 90 days but now his PTI is going to form government in KP province only and would have no control on the policies of the federal government. It remains unclear whether the party had made any strategy to deal with terrorism, a threat that had crippled the previous ANP government in this province.

The news conference was convened to tell the media that the CM-designate and PTI provincial chief Asad Qaiser had no differences. But their body language and the words they uttered hardly matched.

To a question about tens of checkpoints in the city, Khattak said he would ask authorities to brief him about the number of barricades and the terrorists and robbers arrested during checking. “I am against these barricades, which I think are useless, as I have suffered at the checkpoints,” he said.

PTI has made alliance with Qaumi Watan Party and Jamaat-e-Islami and is set to form the government. Ostensibly, all of them are concerned about the people’s plight and the challenges the province faces. Khattak shrugged off a question about power-sharing formula. “We have not formed coalition for ministries but for the sake of peace and progress of the province,” he said. “The previous governments were in power just to pass time,” said Khattak, who arrived one hour late to the press conference on Friday and one and a half hour late on Thursday which shows how serious they are about punctuality. “I apologise. I assure you that we will be punctual in future,” said the embarrassed Khattak when a journalist pointed out the Friday and Thursday late arrivals.

Yet, the claims are high. “We will make this province a role model for others,” he said. “In this province, there will be no place for corruption and corrupt government employees. We will ensure merit and reform the high-handed police force,” he vowed. He said the PTI government aimed to promote industrialisation as part of efforts to achieve progress.

The PTI leaders also promised early local bodies elections. The party is opposed to giving development funds to MPAs which, it believes, is not their job. “In the local bodies system, we will devolve powers to village level and empower citizens to spend funds and oversee construction of schools, roads and other projects,” Khattak said. “This will give them confidence that their money is being spent for their welfare,” he added.

Asad Qaiser said he and the CM-designate had no differences and would work together to solve the complex problems that they inherited from the previous government. The provincial president thanked people for giving them ‘clear’ mandate in elections. “We will implement our manifesto and established an example of good governance,” said Qaiser, who is going to retain his provincial assembly seat. “We will pull our people out of hopelessness,” he vowed.

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PTI, allies claim they acquired the required number to form govt in KP

Delawar Jan

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Thursday formally announced that they had acquired the required number of seats to form government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pervez Khattak would be its next chief minister.

In a press conference which was marred by the disruptive behaviour of parties’ workers, leaders of the three parties said they would work together to solve the complex problems of the battered province. The chief minister-designate Pervez Khattak, QWP chief Aftab Sherpao and JI’s Sirajul listed peace, local bodies’ elections and elimination of power crisis and corruption as the top priority of the coalition government.

The coalition has claimed to be enjoying support of 64 MPAs in the 124-member assembly, the strength sufficient to form government. “We are in contact with the independents,” Khattak said. The press conference was held at Sherpao House in the posh Hayatabad which was more like a political rally than a press conference. MNA and MPA-elect of the three parties also attended the event.

“We need peace to make progress. We need electricity that is crucial for economic growth,” Khattak said and added they would achieve both. He said his government would honour the promise that it would turn Governor’s House into an institution. However, he said he continue to live in the plush Chief Minster House.

“Peace in this region is essential for advancement. But for us to achieve peace, we need a strategy and we will develop one,” Sherpao said, continuing to emphasise on the importance of peace. He said all the coalition partners had agreed on a common agenda. He said they had shared their respective agendas with each other and found that they were on the same page with regard to putting the province on track to peace and development. “Our common agenda is implementable,” Sherpao said. “But the problems are complex that demand a strong and stable government and firm resolve. That is the reason we have decided to work together to steer our province out of crises,” he added.

The QWP chief said he did not want a confrontational policy with the federal government but wanted to join hands with the PML-N government for progress.

Sirajul Haq said no party alone was capable of solving the issues of terrorism, load-shedding and corruption. The likely finance minister of the province, he said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also faced economic challenges. “This province has been turned into a comic show for the world,” he lamented.

Khattak said the Pakhtuns’ land had witnessed devastation but the people who were elected to work for the people furthered their own interests. He said that under his administration people would be provided with an equal education system, hospitals where people had all facilities and a police force that would serve the masses instead of unleashing cruelty on them. “We will do away with all injustices. We have agreement among us for turning this province into an exemplary one,” the CM-designated boasted.

PTI’s provincial president Asad Qaiser was conspicuous by his absence. He was a contender of the post of the chief minister, but Imran Khan chose Pervez Khattak for the job. Khattak said there was no issue between him and Qaiser. However, the latter could not attend the event due to some engagements in Lahore.

Sherpao said the coalition government would narrow down regional disparity in development. He was pointing to the previous government that used most of the development funds in Mardan and Charsadda.

Sirajul Haq said people had accomplished their task to elect public representatives and now they were expecting them to perform.  

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In competition to get votes, women voters remain disregarded

Delawar Jan

PESHAWAR: Every morning Muhammad Nisar Khan leaves home to campaign for the upcoming elections, spending entire day persuading voters in his favour. He meets people and holds gatherings—over 100 till a few days ago—in an effort to win people’s votes. And at public meetings, he utilises all his bestowed and acquired abilities to ensure that every single voter is influenced in his favour. Every vote is important for him.

But there are thousands of voters he does not care for—the women voters. In the 100-plus gatherings, he did not organise even a single meeting for women to seek votes from them. He is not the only one who discounts women’s role in electing public representatives. Rather, it represents a practice, unconstitutional and undemocratic, in which women are barred from polling stations or not encouraged to use the right to vote.  

For decades, women in Kohistan and all districts of Malakand division, excluding Chitral, are disallowed to poll vote. For this, political parties struck agreements while the state acted passively. This time, too, there is hardly any indication that 1,243,872 women voters in Malakand division and Kohistan district would be able to participate in the process of election, though no agreement among political parties has surfaced so far.

Yet, the deal is there. Parties have tacit agreement to exclude women from the May 11 general election. As the state is passive, the political parties are unwilling to encourage participation of women in election. “There seems to be tacit agreement among the political parties to exclude women from election,” said Haleem Asad, a journalist from Lower Dir.

Sarfaraz Khan, a resident of Shangla district, says political parties did not allow women to use vote in 2002, 2008 and in by-election of 2011. “There are no indications that women will cast vote this time,” he said.

The political parties have already excluded women voters in the campaign stage as not a single party is concentrating on women voters, which clearly shows their intention. No party or candidate has exhibited any intention that shows that they value women voters. Thousands of women voters in every constituency are simply being disregarded, though candidates use means fair or foul to win support of every single male voter. Intentionally, candidates have not organised gatherings for women or engaged female workers in door-to-door visit for obtaining their votes as the nation is going to polls in a few days.

If the parties are not opposing women voting, they are not encouraging them either to participate in election. The women in these conservative districts are so afraid that they are unwilling to take the risk of going to the polling station, fearing violence and insult. “I want my female members of the family to cast vote but worry about their security. So I am ambivalent about it,” said Sherzada, a resident of Dir town.

Women participated in elections in the 1970s but have been excluded of the process since Gen Ziaul Haq’s takeover. “I hold men-only meetings in my campaign to seek votes for election,” Nisar Khan said, suggesting he does not expect female voting to take place in his PK-91 constituency. Young and educated, he supports women voting and wishes they participate in election. However, he lacks initiative like his other colleagues to enfranchise them. Candidates take shelter under local traditions.

Districts of Malakand division, including Upper Dir, are conservative and it is difficult for men candidates to conduct election activities for them. However, political parties have not even tried to engage female workers to canvass among women. “After I have persuaded my male voters, I expect them to convince women members of their families to vote for me,” Nisar Khan said about uncanvassed 46,008 female voters in his constituency.

Apparently, Jamaat-e-Islami supports women voting but fears troubles. “If there is any party that favours female voting it is Jamaat-e-Islami. However, it can provide an excuse to troublemakers to target them and sabotage election,” said Inayatullah, JI’s Upper Dir head and candidate for PK-91. 

No party is encouraging women to vote. However, every party fears the other can take them by surprise by bringing women voters to polling stations in the second half of the day to steal the election.    

Shad Begum, a social worker from Lower Dir and recipient of the US State Department’s International Women of Courage Award, declined to comment on challenges to women voters. It remained unclear whether she will cast her ballot in the election or relinquish her right to vote like other submissive women in her area.     

Nusrat Begum, a candidate on NA-34 Lower Dir, has promised to bring women to polling stations to vote for her. But many people doubt her ability to accomplish this task.

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PTI's hopes and chances in May 11 elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Delawar Jan

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ‘tsunami’ that raged in October 2011 has apparently receded quite substantially, but the PTI leaders always challenge this statement. If they are to be believed, the ‘tsunami’ is rising that is eventually going to take them to the power corridors. As PTI chief Imran Khan sees himself in the prime minister’s chair, his lieutenants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are cocksure about a clean sweep in the province. They believe the party enjoys a widespread support in the province and the election results on May 11 are going to blindside the opponents. The PTI assumes that it will form the next government in Pakhtunkhwa and clinch substantial number of seats in the National Assembly. For many, such expectations are overambitious and unrealistic.

“PTI’s 20 seats in the provincial assembly will even flabbergast me. And in National Assembly seats from KP, I don’t see them entering double figure,” said Iqbal Khattak, a senior journalist and political analyst.

The party does have support among the people, but that is scattered and not concentrated in one particularly region where the party can make gains. How the PTI is going to convert that scattered support into a decisive win in Pakhtunkhwa remains a major challenge, though its followers are dedicated ones. “I will not vote for a candidate other than PTI’s,” said Saleemullah, a 23-year-old young man from PK-92 in the remote Upper Dir. His dedication to PTI was so ingrained that he wanted to vote a PTI candidate whose name he did not know. “I will offer my blood to Imran Khan, if he asked for it,” another young man Shahzeb interjected.   

Emotions asides, currently the party does not seem to be in a position to win significant number of seats in the National Assembly or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, if sweeping upsets in favour of PTI don’t take place. Looking at the candidates the party has fielded on National Assembly seats, only seven appear strong who can win or put up tough contest. They are Imran Khan from NA-1 Peshawar, party’s central secretary general Pervez Khattak from NA-5 Nowshera, PTI’s provincial president Asad Qaiser from NA-13 Swabi, Muhammad Azhar Jadoon from NA-17 Abbotabad, Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob from NA-18 Abbotabad, Muhammand Azam Khan Swati from NA-20 Mansehra and Salimur Rahman from NA-30 Swat.

A thumping majority of the candidates that PTI has fielded in both national and provincial constituencies are young and new faces. Most of them are unfamiliar to electorate and new to electoral politics. Imran Khan honoured his promise of awarding tickets to new faces, but will the general people who have been whining about the traditional politicians vote for them? Will people contribute to changing the electoral politics in the country, and in particular KP, that is monopolized by landlords, rich and powerful people?

“The response from people is enormous,” said Mahmood Jan, who is contesting his maiden election from PK-7 in Peshawar. “Actually, people say they have already decided to vote for PTI,” he added. Syed Ishtiaq, who is running election from PK-11 in Peshawar, is also upbeat after seeing people’s support. “People aspire for change in the country. You talk to a rickshaw driver, a tangawala or educated people, all of them want to vote for PTI,” he said.

Iqbal Khattak does not agree with them. He came up with an interesting analysis. “Change is the slogan that represents a national agenda. But in KP it’s different,” he said. “For a party to get a landslide victory in this province, it needs to have a regional slogan like MMA had in 2002 and ANP in 2008,” he added.

The six-party alliance of religious parties, MMA, swept elections in KP in 2002 on ‘vote against US’ slogan and ANP on peace slogan in 2008. “Note the fact that both the parties swept elections in KP only but PTI does not have such a regional issue to secure a sweeping victory. So, I don’t think they can give a stunning surprise,” he added.  

At the moment, the party could not generate a wave that it created in October 2011 to ride on it to victory. People are not as thrilled as they were about the PTI after the Lahore rally. Imran Khan has been trying to move heaven and earth to create that wave just before the elections but people yet to see it.

He launched election campaign from Karak by holding a rally there on April 22. He addressed another one in Dera Ismail Khan the same day. The next day, he tried to woo people in Dargai in Malakand Agency, in Och in Lower Dir and in Wari in Upper Dir. His young Tabdeeli Razakar (volunteers for change) are knocking at every door and stopping every passerby to persuade them to vote for Imran’s party. The impact is, however, missing.

PTI is still hoping for a groundswell of opinion in its favour. It has fielded candidates on all 99 provincial assembly and 47 National Assembly seats from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata. It gives it the chance to maximise the number of seats in the event of any upsurge in its popularity. “People in the province seem to be ambivalent at the moment about which party to vote,” Iqbal Khattak said, indicating that PTI still has the opportunity to win people’s support.

Also, most of the PTI candidates are unfamiliar faces who stand thin chances to win, if miracle does not happen. PTI leaders will argue that the MMA candidates in 2002 were far more unfamiliar faces than the PTI’s. The volatile situation in KP may also hinder its effort clinch victory. “I think turnout would be key to PTI’s chances,” Khattak said. “If the turnout stays at the usual 30 per cent, the PTI’s chances to win majority are slim. But if the turnout touches 50 per cent, it means the youth will have come to the polling stations. In this scenario, the PTI can bring surprises,” he added.

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