News Desk |
There is war ongoing with the ruling party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Well-placed sources claim that elected members are not happy to share all their powers to non-elected members who have joined the Khan administration. The news about the internal rifts came at surface when Fawad Chaudhry, Federal Minister for Science and Technology, expressed his reservations over the prime minister’s decisions of giving more space to the non-elected members. “I still believe that our [government’s] political decision-making is weak. Important decisions are taken and we are not even aware. There is a need to improve how decisions are made,” Chaudhry told a local media outlet.
Prime Minister Imran Khan recently took some surprising decisions and gave the most important task of fixing the economy to Hafeez Shiekh, an economist who is said to be a close aid of Asif Ali Zardari who worked as finance minister during the PPP rule. Similarly, Fawad Ch. was directed to leave the office of Information Minister which was then given to Firdous Ashiq Awan who is currently working as Special Assistant to PM.
The decision about the replacement of Asad Umer indicated that PM himself was not aware of the big change until a day before the development.
While pointing out the weaknesses of PTI’s decision, the federal minister noted that “decisions should be made by elected members. There are some objections over non-elected members that should be considered.” He further added that “the real strength is the Parliament and the elected people. You cannot surpass them,”
But later on, Fawad clarified that all is well within the party and the government is there to complete its tenure.
نہ تو پارٹی میں کوئ اختلاف ہے نہ ہی حکومت کہیں جا رہی ہے، ہمارا اتفاق رائے ہے کہ پاکستان میں اگر جمہوری نظام نے کامیاب ہونا ہے تو عمران خان کی کامیابی ضروری ہے،صرف نظر دوڑائیں ہمارے ساتھ آزاد ہونے والے مملک کہاں کھڑے ہیں احساس ہو گا اس عرصے میں کیا کھویا کیا پایا۔
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) June 2, 2019
He also maintained that corruption and nepotism have destroyed the civilian institutions.
نہ تو پارٹی میں کوئ اختلاف ہے نہ ہی حکومت کہیں جا رہی ہے، ہمارا اتفاق رائے ہے کہ پاکستان میں اگر جمہوری نظام نے کامیاب ہونا ہے تو عمران خان کی کامیابی ضروری ہے،صرف نظر دوڑائیں ہمارے ساتھ آزاد ہونے والے مملک کہاں کھڑے ہیں احساس ہو گا اس عرصے میں کیا کھویا کیا پایا۔
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) June 2, 2019
Zulfi Bukhari, PM’s special envoy for overseas Pakistanis, spoke to media and rubbished the claims about any rift within the party. Zulfi Bukhari also said that Fawad Ch. is not aware of many decisions. He further said that the former information minister’s portfolio was changed because he wasn’t fully meeting the requirements of the portfolio.
Read more: Is social media not happy with Fawad Chaudhry’s departure?
It is believed that several party members are not ‘okay’ over the appointment of Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, Reza Baqir, head of state bank of Pakistan and Dr. Hafeez Sheikh. Sources claim that senior party members did not advise PM Khan to appoint Dr. Hafeez who is a known employee of the IMF and other international institutions. But Imran Khan went on and decided to give the most important responsibility to Dr. Hafeez.
People like Fawad Ch., claim reliable sources, are of the view that “we have to answer before the public since we have been elected. Unlike many unelected- people having powerful posts, we cannot leave the county at the end of the tenure of the present government.” But due to pressure from some external factors PM Khan did not listen to his cabinet and most senior party leaders. The decision about the replacement of Asad Umer indicated that PM himself was not aware of the big change until a day before the development.
Read more: Naya Pakistan: social media demands resignation of Zartaj Gul for violation…
Analysts believe that it is high time for the Prime Minister to closely observe as to what is going on within his party since PPP and PML-N are in search of any new tussle in PTI which may benefit them to evade the ongoing accountability process.