Altaf Hamid Rao;
Says leaders have no right to turn political entities into family fiefdoms,
MIRPUR (AJK) : The General Secretary of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Azad Kashmir Raja Musadiq Khan has said that the PTI leadership in AJK has jumped into the political arena with a vision and unflinching faith to root out the age-old rotten political culture that has hindered the much needed socio-political and economic development in the region.
Raja Musadiq Khan made these assertions while addressing a dinner party hosted in honour of editors and senior journalists of Kashmiri newspapers at Islamabad Club last night. Speaking on the occasion the PTI leader who had a vast experience of political matters said that his first and foremost priority was to institutionalize the party and establish it on modern democratic lines. “Being a harbinger of change the PTI will launch a movement so that the political parties could be pursued to build on democratic principles rather than getting public support on the basis of regionalism, ethnicity or tribalism”, he said adding that the institutionalization would not only help the party to survive in politics for the next several decades but also play a leading role in the development and welfare of Azad Kashmir.
Referring to the British political system he said that leaders have no right to turn political entities into their family fiefdom. He said, “Political parties should not just revolve to a particular person, but there has to be a mechanism in place whereby ordinary workers can also reach the position of leadership based on their hard work, wisdom and ability”. “This is how the democracies and democratic culture in the Western countries flourished”, Khan said adding that “nothing is impossible in this world, we can also do it here as well provided there is a leader with political will and vision.”
He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan and Central Chief Organist Saifullah Niazi have directed that clean and educated young men and women be brought forward in politics.
Raja Musadiq Khan said that the party would hold such meetings with journalists from Mirpur, Poonch and Rawlakot, as well as the members of press club of each district to seek their viewpoint viz-a-viz the party’s future course of action. Citing the Holy Quran, he said, the God Almighty has given ‘Shura’ (the principle of consultation) the status of worship. “Instead of chalking out strategy in cosy and comfortable rooms, PTI believes in planning the future course of action after due consultations with the public “, he maintained.
Many senior journalists on the occasion appreciated the PTI’s vision for a change in political culture and the promotion of democratic values and practices. They also stressed the need for holding such kind of interactive sessions to broaden the scope of debate.
In his initial remarks, the PTI-AJK Secretary Information Ershad Mahmud said, “The purpose of this introductory meeting was to discuss and debate the prevailing political and human rights situation in Indian occupied Kashmir as well as the party’s agenda of change in the existing structure and political culture in Azad Kashmir. He further stated that besides having interaction with the newly appointed office-bearers of the party, the meeting was arranged to seek expertise and suggestions from the learned journalists.
Additional Secretary General of PTI Raja Mansoor Khan, Deputy General Secretary Qazi Israel, Deputy General Secretary Sardar Murtaza Ali Ahmed, Finance Secretary Zulfiqar Abbasi, senior party leader Shaukat Ali Awan and others were also present on the occasion.
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