Akhtar Iqbal Dar distanced himself from allotting PTI-N tickets to candidates from Imran-led party
- “Verified list of PTI-N candidates will be provided to ROs”.
- Akhtar says PTI-N has own manifesto, ‘batsman’ symbol.
- PTI candidates directed to seek PTI-N’s symbol for elections.
LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Nazriati (PTI-N) Chairman Akhtar Iqbal Dar on Saturday denounced the submission of the “fake” nomination papers submitted by the Imran Khan-led party candidates using the name of party.
The upcoming elections just got tougher for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after Dar, the chairman of a separate faction formed by dissident leaders of the former ruling party, alleged that the former had “submitted fake” nomination papers.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the politico said he was surprised to see PTI candidates with his political party’s tickets appearing before the returning officers (ROs) as he did not allocate them.
He announced that a verified list of PTI-N candidates will be provided to the ROs to avoid confusion. Dar clarified that his party allotted the same tickets to its candidates that had been issued in the previous 2018 general polls.
“PTI-N has its own manifesto and programme, as well as a separate electoral symbol depicting ‘batsman’. A candidate can neither use platform of another political party during elections nor had my party signed an agreement with any party.”
Slamming the embattled PTI, Dar said that over the course of years, he felt that transparency and honesty did not exist in the Imran-led party which led to distancing himself from the previous party.
“It is the election commission’s core responsibility to trace fraudulent schemes of these candidates.”
The development came after PTI implemented ‘Plan B’ and issued fresh tickets to the candidates under the name of another party — “PTI-N” amid confusion over its iconic “bat” symbol.
In a statement, the party said that it has issued fresh tickets to the national and provincial assembly candidates and directed them to submit the declarations to the returning officer.
Reacting to the development, PTI-N Chairman Akhtar categorically turned down the possibility of any alliance with the PTI due to its “corrupt” incumbent members.
“Everyone in the PTI’s team is corrupt, I can’t talk to them,” Akhtar said while speaking to Geo News earlier in the day.
“There can be no talks with them [the PTI]. Barrister Gohar and other shady individuals have hijacked the party,” he added.
The fresh move was seen as the former ruling party’s participation in the upcoming general elections — which are less than a month away — remains uncertain due to the ongoing saga surrounding its electoral “bat” symbol.
While speaking on Geo News’ programme “Naya Pakistan”, PTI spokesperson Raoof Hasan revealed that the PTI-N chairman had formally signed an agreement with his political party for forthcoming elections.
“Dar had signed the party tickets (issued to candidates) while sitting in our office with the PTI chairman two weeks ago.”
The spokesperson claimed that the PTI-N chief was demanding more seats but then, he agreed on adjusting only four seats in Sheikhupura.
He continued that Dar could have been facing pressure like other politicians who had been “forced” to conduct press conferences against the Imran-led party.
He admitted that PTI candidates have been directed to take an alternative option to contest polls under compulsion, with less time to submit tickets before the expiry of the deadline and the pending verdict of the Supreme Court.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) also took notice of deceiving attempts by some candidates through their applications ahead of general elections — scheduled for February 8.
It clarified that the electoral symbol of another political party would not be allotted to candidates whose affidavits contradict their original party affiliation.
