Election 2024
LONDON
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has snatched the National Assembly ticket from a businessman who quit his British citizenship reportedly on party founder Imran Khan’s instructions and also spent tens of millions on providing security to the incarcerated former prime minister.
The PTI allotted an NA-98 ticket for the Samundari constituency (Faisalabad-IV) to Imran’s security chief Iftikhar Rasool Ghumman on 12 January but cancelled his ticket a week later, and allotted it to Mumtaz Ahmed, who is currently not in Pakistan and had quit the PTI after submitting an affidavit that he will not take part in politics for at least five years.
According to a copy of the affidavit dated May 20, 2023, Ahmed declared that he would not take part in politics for five years, would stay out and that he condemned violent attacks on Pakistani state institutions on May 9 by PTI workers.
After approval of his NA ticket from the PTI, Ghumman had started his campaign on the “Radio” symbol allotted to him by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) when he was suddenly told by the party without any explanation that his ticket had been withdrawn and that he should step aside. Two senior PTI leaders confirmed that Ghumman was issued a ticket on Imran’s “personal instructions” but then his ticket was changed. Ghumman was instructed by Imran to “prepare for the elections” and had assured him of a general National Assembly ticket.
Prior to starting his campaign, Ghumman surrendered his British nationality around 16 months ago to comply with the Pakistani electoral laws in the hope he would run on the PTI ticket. The ex-premier had appreciated Ghumman for surrendering his British nationality and shifting to Pakistan full-time to join the PTI.
After Imran’s ouster from power through a no-confidence vote in 2022, it was Ghumman who provided round-the-clock, fool-proof security to Imran including 10 bomb and bulletproof cars and around two dozen trained guards. He has so far paid tens of millions in the estimated costs for Imran’s security by providing him with a bomb and bullet-proof vehicles and guards. His vehicles were seized by the authorities and remain in the police lock-up but he continues to provide security to Bushra Bibi, the former first lady.
PTI leaders who shared the story of Ghumman confirmed that he has also paid around half a million dollars to get the bomb-proof container prepared for Imran for his last Minar-e-Pakistan rally.
