Twitter rallied in support of Prime Minister Imran Khan after a faction supporting Jahangir Khan Tareen(JKT) voiced their split within the party in retaliation to the ongoing cases against the PTI leader.
A score of PTI leaders and advocates expressed their support and voice for Prime Minister Imran Khan on Twitter. Trends like #JKTexposedHimself, #BehindYouSkipper flared up on Twitter in support of PM Imran Khan.
“Our leader, our pride! Free from the lust for power, clinging to its principles. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is Imran Khan!,” wrote Maleeka Bokhari, PTI’s legislature, on Twitter.
ہمارا لیڈر، ہمارا فخر !
اقتدار کی حوس سے آزاد ، اپنے اصولوں پر ڈٹا ہوا۔
پاکستان تحریک انصاف عمران خان ہے ! pic.twitter.com/461Z2ivwHD— Maleeka Ali Bokhari (@MalBokhari) May 18, 2021
If anyone wants to make a forward bloc he should resign from PTI's seat first. #BehindYouSkipper #IstandWithImranKhan
— Azhar Mashwani (@MashwaniAzhar) May 18, 2021
Read more: We have confidence in Imran Khan but Jahangir Tareen is our leader, Tareen-group
Another legislature, Dewan Sachal, from Sindh denounced the JKT faction and voiced his unflinching support for PM Imran Khan and his mission.
We stand with Imran Khan and Khan Sahab ONLY. Zero in arithmetic is worth nothing unless a number comes before you, similarly If you are added to PMIK, then you Have great value otherwise you are ZIP ZILCH and ZERO. #IStandwithImranKhan #behindyouskipper
— Dewan Sachal (@essel1) May 18, 2021
I have no doubt about the fact that no diversion can stop the Skipper from his mission and commitment to bring the change that he had promised.
Always #BehindYouSkipper— Dr Arslan Khalid (@arslankhalid_m) May 18, 2021
We showed them all (entire Pakistan) on 6th of March 2021 in #D_Chowk Islamabad that we are #BehindYouSkipper and will remain there for him in every think and thin.
— 𝐼𝓂𝓇𝒶𝓃 𝐿𝒶𝓁𝒾𝓀𝒶 (@Lalika79) May 18, 2021
Meanwhile, Jahangir Tareen is receiving flak for exuding a thoughtless reaction to his cases. The PTI advocates believe that the reckless reaction of JKT is impeding PM Imran Khan’s fight to root out corruption from the country.
PTI Minister Asad Umar also jumped in and reiterated his support for PM Imran Khan. “I am Asad Umar and i stand with Imran khan @ImranKhanPTI@PTIofficial #IstandWithImranKhan,” said Umar in a tweet. Other advocates called out JKT for threatening PM Imran Khan.
I am asad umar and i stand with Imran khan @ImranKhanPTI @PTIofficial #IstandWithImranKhan
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) May 19, 2021
All these MNAs/MPAs came in the assembly through IMRAN KHAN’s NAME ONLY. IK won’t be blackmailed, jio marzi hen karlo. #BehindYouSkipper
— Virk Shahzaib (@VirkSh786) May 18, 2021
On Tuesday, Jahangir Khan Tareen formalized the split in the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, when he announced parliamentary leaders of “his group” — both in the National and the Punjab assemblies. This move is likely to have serious implications for the ruling party as the next budget session is just around the corner. Some analysts expect a counter move by Prime Minister Imran Khan
Raja Riaz, a member of the National Assembly from Faisalabad, and the most vocal supporter of Mr. Tareen was named the group’s parliamentary leader in the National Assembly, while Saeed Akbar Niwani in the Punjab assembly.
Read more: The ‘Electables’ in Imran Khan’s PTI
The announcement came at a dinner hosted by Mr. Tareen at his residence where, according to Raja Riaz, four more MNAs and as many MPAs had joined the group. This, Raja Riaz claimed, had brought the total strength of the group close to 40.