'PTI is slowly losing shine'

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) 'tsunami' seem to be gradually losing momentum as the party's activists appear to be disappointed over their leaders' move to induct supporters of former Pervez Musharraf in large numbers.
Analysts also attributed the loss in the party's lustre on internal strife among new and old party members. They said that strategies adopted by two of major political foes of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) - PPP and PML-N - had also affected the party.
They said the two parties had also initiated moves to attract PTI's youth - the PPP by hosting a recent youth conference at the Presidency, while the PML-N started distributing laptops among the youth.
However, the joining of key Musharraf supporters had hurt PTI's popularity the most, they said. PTI's massive show at Lahore on October 30 last year surprised all domestic political observers. Initially, the PPP viewed it a mere threat to its political rival PML-N in Punjab. But a subsequent rally in Karachi in which some of its key leaders, such as Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Sardar Asef Ahemd Ali and Dr Israr Shah, joined the PTI also sent shock waves in the ranks of the PPP.
Subsequently, both mainstream political parties reconsidered their strategies to counter PTI's surging popularity.
As far as internal strife in the PTI is concerned, analysts argued that the joining of Musharraf supporters not only invited criticism of opponents, but also caused a rift - the formation of two splinter groups named Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Nazriati (Ideological) and Tehreek-i-Insaf (Awami). Both factions accused PTI chief Imran Khan of ignoring the party's 'founding' members.
The party's disgruntled elements believed that Pakistanis, particularly the new generation, saw the PTI as a symbol of positive change, but it had been converted into a party of 'Makhdooms, Legharis and waderas'.
They argued that PTI was yet to pacify it has been a challenge for the PTI chief Imran Khan yet to pacify the party's disappointed cadre.
"There is an impression even within the party about sidelining of old members. The party's leadership is aware of the situation and capable of pacifying them," a party leader said.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) leader also dispelled the impression that the party was losing momentum, saying that the party was going through a phase of 'reorganisation' by holding internal elections and would resurge more forcefully once the process was complete.