ISLAMABAD: Barrister Gohar Khan is set to become the candidate for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) chairmanship, confirmed PTI Senior Vice-President Sher Afzal Marwat late on Tuesday.
This confirmation comes after Imran Khan’s decision to not retain the top post due to legal obstacles, as the party heads towards internal polls.
“Barrister Gohar will be the PTI’s candidate for chairmanship. The PTI chairman [Imran] has endorsed Gohar as his candidate for the post,” Marwat conveyed during a conversation with a private news channel. Imran remains in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail and entangled in legal proceedings.
Although several party leaders had indicated that Imran would not be participating in the intra-party elections, they had mentioned that the final candidate would be announced later.
This development signifies the conclusion of Imran’s tenure at the key position since the party’s inception over two decades ago.
The PTI’s Core Committee, on Monday, formally approved the timeline of holding intra-party polls within the 20-day timeframe set by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Failure to comply would result in the loss of the party’s bat symbol.
Imran’s decision not to participate is due to his disqualification as a parliamentarian for five years in the Toshakhana case, where he was found guilty of “corrupt practices by deliberately concealing benefits from the national exchequer.”
Despite Marwat and other leaders’ statements, the PTI had previously stated that there were no plans for Imran to step down.
The PTI issued a statement on X, strongly refuting “speculations” regarding the election of a new party chairman. “Discussions are ongoing on all crucial matters related to the intra-party elections,” it added.
This marks a significant development for the party as the country approaches general elections set for February 8, 2024. Securing votes may pose a challenge for the PTI if Imran remains incarcerated.
(Islamabad51_Newsdesk)
