Marwat reveals Imran Khan will not contest intra-party elections

ISLAMABAD: Advocate Sher Afzal Marwat has said that Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan will not contest the long-awaited intra-party elections, which are mandated by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to be completed by December 13.

Marwat, speaking to the media here on Tuesday, confirmed it and said that Khan’s decision not to contest is influenced by his conviction in the Toshakhana case, for which he was sentenced to three years in prison by an Islamabad trial court in August.

The case, initiated by the ECP, alleged that Khan failed to disclose details of state gifts in his tax declarations.

Although the Islamabad High Court subsequently overturned the sentence and ordered Khan’s release, he remained in custody due to his involvement in the cipher case.

Marwat revealed that Imran Khan has communicated his decision to the PTI’s core committee from jail, indicating that the party will soon have a new chairman as a result of the intra-party elections.

Furthermore, Marwat emphasized that Khan himself will decide on the new PTI chief once all constitutional and legal impediments are resolved. He added that Imran Khan is expected to reassume the role of PTI chief when these obstacles are cleared.

Earlier reports had indicated that PTI was planning to conduct intra-party elections this week in compliance with the ECP’s directives issued on November 23, which mandated polls within 20 days.

Despite the leadership change, the bat will continue to be the party’s election symbol, as per the ECP’s decision reserved on September 13, following its scrutiny of PTI’s intra-party elections details submitted on June 8 of the previous year.