Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has emerged as a leading party in KPK (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) with 35 seats. There are 13 independent candidates who won their seats. The inclusion of these independents could take PTI’s total number of seats to almost 48. The party nonetheless is going to form a coalition government with the help of JI(Jamaat-e-Islami) and Qoumi Watan Party of Sherpao. Pervez Khattak, the General Secretary of PTI, is going to be the next chief minister of KPK. However, the party is going to face some tough challenges in the province, and the future of the party would highly depend on the level of finesse with which they could handle these challenges.
As the elections were over and PTI emerged as a leading party in KPK, rumors started about a possible rift in the party over the slot of Chief Ministership. The provincial president of the party, Asad Qaiser, immediately announced his own self as the next chief minister. On the other hand, Pervez Khattak claimed chief ministership for himself. The matter could have gotten out of control if Imran Khan had not intervened. Asad Qaiser was convinced to back down from his claim and was offered to become speaker of KPK assembly. Imran Khan nominated Pervez Khattak as the next chief minister and the rift somehow subdued. However, what PTI needs to do now is to enhance its intra-party organizational structure. The party did not get much time to do so before elections and now is the time to strengthen it as a strong political institution so that no internal rift can occur in future.
PTI leadership decided that Imran Khan retain his Pindi seat of NA-56 and vacate NA-71 Mianwali and most importantly NA-1 Peshawar. This is a great strategic move which could enable PTI to win again these seats quite comfortably, as winning NA-56 again could be quite difficult. But, their adversaries have started spreading disinformation that Imran Khan has betrayed Peshawar by leaving NA-1. People, most of whom are uneducated, have started to think that Imran Khan has betrayed them. This could prove quite dangerous for PTI if they didn’t address this issue fast enough. As once people form an opinion, right or wrong, it becomes quite difficult to make them change that opinion. PTI has to address the concerns of the people of Peshawar and explain to them in a layman’s term that why Imran Khan was leaving Peshawar seat. Failing to do so could prove disastrous for the party.
Security situation is without a doubt the top most problem that PTI government needs to address. The people of KPK have suffered alot from deadly bomb blasts that have occurred almost on a daily basis, and naturally their priority is to have an atmosphere of peace and stability. A large percentage of the voters voted for PTI because they expect the party to end this grave security situation for them. It is indeed going to be a challenge for PTI to improve the security situation of the province.
Moreover, power load shedding is the whole country’s problem and it’s a federal subject, but, the people of KPK would expect their government to help them in this regard. They don’t care whose mandate it is to solve the electricity problem. They just want end of load shedding. A worsening load shedding would very well add to the problems of PTI.
Also, corruption is something PTI must really work on. It has to be controlled at all costs. ANP(Awami National Party) historic defeat in the 2013 elections was mainly due to severe corruption allegations. Everybody knew their stories of corruption. This became the biggest reason of their defeat. Though the claims of Pervez Khattak and Asad Qaiser to have a corruption free government are encouraging, achieving this goal is going to be real challenge indeed.
All in all, the people of KPK have expectations from the new PTI government. These expectations, brought PTI to government. PTI has to work day and night to somehow come up to these expectations. As, the same expectations, if not fulfilled, can easily drive them away from power corridors.