In a surprising move, Jahangir Khan Tareen on Tuesday formalised 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.
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.
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PTI Senator Faisal Javed Khan, however, tweeted to remind everyone: “Imran Khan is the PTI and PTI is Imran Khan.”
Imran Khan is PTI
&
PTI is Imran Khan#PakistanTehreek_e_Insaf— Faisal Javed Khan (@FaisalJavedKhan) May 18, 2021
However, some analysts believe that such an attitude of the ruling party equates with other dynastic parties in the country where a family claims monopoly over the core decisions.
If PTI is only Imran Khan and PML-N is Nawaz Sharif & then his daughter Maryam and PPP is Blawal Bhutto…then what is the difference that all PTI's followers have been fighting for? https://t.co/rtwkpugXwR
— Najma Minhas (@MinhasNajma) May 19, 2021
Noman Langarial, one of the supporters of Tareen, who attended the dinner, said that 31 lawmakers attended the event, reported The Express Tribune. Member of the Punjab Assembly (MPA) Salman Naeem said during the dinner that supporters of Tareen decided to formally launch their own group.
“Jahangir Tareen is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday (today). What happened to Tareen is wrong,” Langarial said, referring to charges against the PTI leader in the sugar scandal. “That’s why we are supporting him [Tareen],” he said. “We have confidence in Prime Minister Imran Khan but we agree on our agenda,” he added.
FIA will work independently, Prime Minster tells Tareen-group
Last month, talking to a delegation of some pro-Tareen lawmakers, Prime Minister Imran Khan had categorically said the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would not be influenced to give relief to the disgruntled leader in the sugar scam probe but he would personally look into the matter to avoid any political victimisation in the case.
The head of the MNAs’ delegation, Riaz, had told the media after attending the meeting that the prime minister had assured them that he would personally look into the case and ensure that no injustice was meted out to anyone.
The prime minister formed a one-man committee comprising his confidant, Senator Syed Ali Zafar, to ascertain whether the delegation’s concerns that some people in the government and the PTI were politically victimising Jahangir Tareen were genuine.
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Tareen had said that he was ready to face any inquiry but to drag his son into the case was unjustified.
https://twitter.com/Farah_adeed/status/1394901082422272006?s=20
Analysts believe Imran Khan is likely to respond to this move in the coming days. It is important to note that in 2018, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chief Imran Khan revealed the names of lawmakers who sold votes during the Senate elections and announced to expel them from the party. The PTI chief said that nobody took any action was not on the buying and selling of votes during the Senate election. Imran claimed that between 30-40 votes were sold in the Senate elections.