Daily Times

KARACHI: Elected representatives of local bodies hailing from Pakistan the Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have expressed their reservations against the party’s top leadership, including PTI Sindh president Dr Arif Alvi, Karachi president Firdos Shamim Naqvi, Haleem Adil Shiekh, Imran Ismail and Ali Zaidi, and demanded removal of the five from the party.

Daily Times has learnt that the coalition with the Mutahidda Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) is the cause of infighting as the elected representatives have not accepted the decision.

Given the scenario, the PTI Sindh is working without general secretary, and Karachi is the only city where the party has no women wing, youth wing and other party structure. Now coordinators have been assigned but the group of dissidents is not accepting them. “As far as the collation between the PTI and the MQM-P is concerned it is absolutely wrong. It will not be suitable for the betterment of Sindh, said dissident members of the PTI.

Reliable sources said supporters of the PTI from interior Sindh and Karachi had expressed their dissatisfaction over the party’s policy in Sindh.

Former PTI Sindh chapter general secretary Sardar Abdul Aziz is leading the group of dissident party members, including former senator Hamayon Khan, Haji Abdul Aziz, Afzal Khan Khattak, Shahnawaz Jadoon, Dr Kabeer Khan, Atta Ullah advocate and others.

“Imran Khan had told us in the meeting at Bani Gala that issues would be resolved within seven days. However, no action was taken to this effect,” Sardar Abul Aziz told Daily Times.

He said that they were not allowed to meet Imran Khan when he was in Karachi at the residence of Dr Arif Alvi on September 20.

He said that the PTI should promote thoughtful and ideological leaders as compared to backward democratic leaders. “Haleem Adil Sheikh was earlier accused of land grabbing and he had been nominated our leader,” he said.

He alleged that the five leaders were not taking the matter seriously. “In newly designed set up seniors and ideological worker are being ignored and favouritism is on the peek,” he added.

Several attempts were made to contact Dr Arif Alvi but he did not attend his mobile phone.

Published in Daily Times, October 10^th 2017.