Transparent polls **t possible in present situation: Imran
 

https://www.thenews.com.pk/assets/up...0946_print.jpg Repeats call for making Leaks report public; intra-party polls to be held on June 11



ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran on Saturday said transparent elections are **t possible in the present situation.

He reiterated the demand for making the DawnLeaks commission report public, calling it a more dangerous issue than Memogate scandal.

Talking to media persons after chairing the party’s central executive committee meeting here, Imran said that the Leaks was an issue of national security and **t at all a matter between the government and the army.

He recalled how Nawaz Sharif had landed in the Supreme Court, wearing a black coat regarding the Memogate, taking it as a national security issue while the new Leak issue was also an attack on the national security, more dangerous than Memogate scandal.

He an**unced the intra-party poll would be held on June 11.

The PTI chairman contended that the language used in the Leaks was similar to the one, used by Indian PM Narendra Modi against Pakistan army. “The nation wants to k**w about the findings of the commission and these be presented before the Parliament,” Imran asserted.

Imran also wanted the joint investigation team on Panama Papers issue to complete its investigation within the stipulated time, given by the Supreme Court, and the nation be updated after at least every two weeks about the progress in this context.

Replying to questions, he said the money trail of how he arranged money, bought flat, sold it and then bought property in Pakistan, was with the Election Commission of Pakistan since last year. He added his asset details had been uploaded on party website since 2012.

He claimed there would be ** need for a Qatari about his money trail indirectly referring to the letter from a Qatari prince submitted by the Sharifs in the apex court in Panama Papers case. He alleged Nawaz tried to deceive the nation for a year about the money trail regarding the London properties.

It was learnt that Imran had to face probing questions from some participants of the meeting about appointment of Senator Muhammad Azam Swati as PTI chief election commissioner to conduct the intra-party poll.

Some voices were also raised about ig**ring old and committed party people while welcoming politicians from other parties and immediately assigning them responsibilities in the party. Imran assured that merit would strictly be followed and transparency ensured.

Imran conceded that he was fighting mainly on two fronts i.e. against the status quo and how to settle matters within the party.

A statement by PTI media centre about the meeting said the Central Executive Committee met with Chairman Imran Khan presiding to take stock of a number of recent developments including progress in the Panama case, the conclusion of the Leaks episode, progress in electoral reforms and internal party issues.

At the outset, the meeting condemned the cowardly attack on Deputy Chairman Senate in Mastung in which 27 in**cent lives were lost and more than 50 people injured and expressed grief and sorrow over assassination of labourers in Gwadar. Expressing heartfelt condolence with the bereaved families, the meeting called upon the provincial government to improve security in the province and also provide relief and assistance to the affected.

The meeting also took **te of the Leaks episode and felt that its conclusion has left many questions unanswered. It was felt that this was **t a matter just between the government and the armed forces but the entire nation was hurt by the slurs cast on the Pakistan Army.

“The story contained a narrative that was anti-Pakistan and hurt the sentiments of every citizen. It was therefore critically important for the final inquiry report to be released to the public so that the nation k**ws what were the issues involved, who committed what manner of breach and what was the basis of what is described as a final settlement. Keeping everything in the dark, the meeting felt, does **t further the national interest,” it said.

The meeting **ted that it was critically important the JIT conducted its proceedings as transparently as possible. The people of Pakistan have a right to k**w and this right can**t be abridged by any **tion of investigative secrecy. It was also fundamental that the JIT completes its probe in the timeframe assigned by the Supreme Court. Any delay will lead to suspicion that Nawaz Sharif and his family want to drag out the process to make it less effective.

The CEC meeting also expressed grave concern about the treatment being meted out by the government to the farmers who are either unable to sell their wheat or being paid prices much below the official support price. It **ted that ever since this government has come into power it has targeted the farming community and created such dire circumstances for them that their very existence has come under threat.

The CEC has also passed a resolution for voting rights for overseas Pakistanis and called for proper reforms to the electoral system in order to make upcoming elections free, fair and transparent.

Imran reiterated his ideal of making the party an institution and **t the family limited entity. He also said that PTI was all ready and determined to face an unprecedented electoral contest in the general election.

Meanwhile, after consulting other PTI Founder Group leaders including Saeedullah Khan Niazi, PTI Founding Punjab President and first cousin of Imran Khan, the leader of the PTI Founders Group Akbar S. Babar said in a statement that the motley crowd assembled in Islamabad to amend the PTI Constitution was neither competent **r qualified to amend the PTI Constitution.

He said the procedure an**unced by Imran for holding intra party elections and means adopted to amend the PTI Constitution was both illegal and a gross violation of the PTI constitution.

Babar wondered how could the intra party elections be fair under a PTI CEC, Azam Swati who was accused of vote buying during the 2012 intra party elections, accusations which were verified by two-member inquiry committee headed by Gen (Retd) Ali Kuli Khan.

He said only a competent PTI Election Commission was mandated to an**unce the mode of intra party elections and **t the Chairman of the party.

He said it is clear that Imran Khan has deviated from yet a**ther commitment of making PTI a democratic political institution which is subservient to the PTI Constitution and **t to the whims of its Chairman and his close coterie.

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