Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan was formally nominated as party’s candidate for the slot of prime minister on Monday.

Imran was nominated as PTI candidate for the post during the party’s parliamentary committee meeting held at a private hotel in the capital city.

As the meeting started, Vice-Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi presented a resolution nominating Imran Khan as the PTI’s candidate for the prime minister. The resolution was accepted unanimously by party leaders who also congratulated the PTI chief after the nomination.

In his speech, the PTI chief recalled the party’s history, his own struggles and achievements, including the 1992 World Cup victory, and laid out his future plans.

“Today, I have been given the biggest of responsibilities,” the PM-in-waiting said. “Today, the first phase of a 22-year-long struggle is complete. Today, God has given you a moral victory. After 1970, this is the first time that the masses have defeated the political elite. This happens very rarely that in a two-party system, a third once gets a chance,” he said.

“My focus was not to become an MNA or a prime minister,” he said during his address. “The issues over which the nation voted us into power need to be addressed on priority,” he contended. “The country is in an economic crisis and we need to steer it out of it. We will approach overseas Pakistanis for help vis-à-vis repayment of debts,” he added.

“I was given official protocol while coming here today … but the country cannot be run like this. If we cannot bring change, then we will suffer the same fate as MMA and ANP,” the PTI chief asserted, referring to the poor electoral show of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal and the Awami National Party. Imran also urged party leaders to save the money of the nation so it can spent on public welfare. “I will take decisions based on merit and for the betterment of the people,” he pledged.

Khan warned his fellow party leaders that they must not govern the traditional way. “There are challenges aplenty for the PTI government,” he said. “The people do not expect us to govern the traditional way; we are viewed as different. If we do traditional politics then we would also fall prey to the public wrath.”

“One hour every week I will give answers to the public – like it happens in England. We will also make the ministers answerable to the public in the truest sense,” he announced. At the conclusion of the committee, Shah Mahmood Qureshi delivered a media talk. “The party at whom people used to laugh has today become the largest parliamentary party,” he said. “We now have the required majority to form our government in the Centre.” Despite reports, Imran Khan did not name anyone on key posts, including the speaker and deputy speaker of the National Assembly.

“PTI will announce senior party leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi as their candidate for the post of National Assembly speaker. Qureshi is not happy with the decision but Imran convinced him to take the post owing to his experience as a parliamentarian which puts him in a position to deal with the active opposition,” a private TV channel claimed. “Imran Ismail is likely to be appointed governor Sindh,” it added.

However, speaking to reporters after the meeting, Shah Mehmood Qureshi dismissed the media reports. “Our central media cell will inform you of such a decision. You should not listen to such reports unless they are officially communicated,” he said.

Speaking to media after the meeting, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa former chief minister Pervez Khattak said, “Will fulfil any responsibility that Khan Sb gives me. Earlier, Khan Sb had given me the responsibility of KP CM and now too he will decide my post.” Refuting reports of rifts within the party, Khattak said, “There are no differences between us.”

PTI chief Imran Khan has also summoned parliamentary party sessions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab. According to party sources, the meeting of parliamentary party in KP will be held on Tuesday (today) while Punjab will conduct the session on Wednesday (tomorrow).

The parliamentary party meeting of PTI also decided that Punjab House will be the official residence of prime minister-in-waiting Imran Khan.

Party spokesman Naeem-ul-Haq told media that all arrangements regarding Imran Khan’s stay in Punjab House have been finalized under the austerity drive promised by the prime minister-in-waiting.

Published in Daily Times, August 7^th 2018.