ISLAMABAD: PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja on Tuesday affirmed his decision regarding the composition of the newly formed Punjab Coordination and Monitoring Committee, saying that no existing member would be excluded and no new name would be added to the body.

On Monday, Raja notified a five-member body under the convenership of Amjad Khan Niazi to “coordinate organisational matters between the four regions of Punjab through engagement with the presidents and general secretaries of the said regions”.

PTI leaders Naeem Haider Panjotha, Shaukat Mahmood Basra, Ali Ijaz Buttar and Mehr Abdul Sattar were also named as members.

However, several PTI members and workers have been criticising Raja’s decision to nominate Niazi as the convener of the body, because he had parted ways with the party in the wake of the events related to the May 9 protests.

Speaking to Dawn, Raja said, “I know that some leaders have been criticising Niazi that he left the party, but they should not forget that Imran Khan himself had accepted his excuse and made him his political coordinator.“

“There is a vacuum in PTI Punjab as 80 per cent of the leadership is either in jail or underground. So, Niazi is the best option to deal with the issues and continue the political struggle in the province,” he maintained.

The terms of reference, announced by the secretary general, also detail other responsibilities, such as coordinating the planning and preparing for elections at all levels, monitoring and ensuring completion of party organisations at all levels, coordinating the activities of all affiliated wings of the party, engaging and advising regional presidents and general secretaries with respect to the effectiveness of party organisations at various levels, and proposing and monitoring the execution of political events in the province.

In addition, the body is to monitor prisoners’ welfare and provide legal support with respect to court cases. The committee is required to provide a weekly report of its activities to the Secretary General, according to the notification issued by Raja.

Replying to a question, Raja said that immense pressure was being exerted to change the members of the committee, but he would not do so.

“There were so many candidates to become members of the committee, but after failing to secure a slot, they have been criticising it. Niazi met Imran and informed him that he had to quit the party due to pressure. Later, the PTI founder appointed him as his political coordinator.”

“Basra is a seasoned worker and the party’s deputy general secretary. Sattar is a symbol of struggle and he spent five years in jail due to his stance against Okara Military Farms,” he asserted.

He added that the PTI founder had “given a direction to encourage youth” and that is why Panjotha had been made a member of the committee.

“He never skips meetings and regularly visits Adiala jail,” he added.

In response to a question, he said that PTI would continue its political struggle.

Meanwhile, PTI leader Basra said that as many as 60 first information reports had been registered against him and that he was facing multiple cases.

“We will take all possible steps to make the party stronger and more active so that Imran Khan is released,” he said.

A PTI leader, requesting anonymity, said that the formation of a Punjab Coordination and Monitoring Committee had become a matter of debate within party circles.

“While there are a number of leaders who have been opposing the decision, there are also leaders who have been supporting it,” he said