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Pakistan Punjab

Jahangir Khan Tareen group considers forming new party ahead of polls

LAHORE: Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) leaders who defected have proposed forming a new political party called Pakistan Tehreek Insaf Nazriyati (PTIN) or Haqeeqi Tehreek e Insaaf to contest the upcoming elections, according to The News.

During an Iftar dinner attended by several members of the dissident PTI groups and leaders, including Raja Riaz and Awn Chaudhry, members of the Jahangir Khan Tareen (JKT) Group put forward a proposal.

The Tareen group is deliberating over the proposal and has not yet finalised its strategy. Furthermore, the group intends to hold future discussions and consider alliances with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q).

The JKT group is becoming more politically active, and they intend to contact more former PTI members and leaders to join their cause.

Participants expressed dissatisfaction with former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s policies and a desire to distance themselves from his politics during the meeting. There will also be more consultations and monitoring of the country’s politics.

Tareen was a close confidante of Khan’s before joining the PTI. The News texted the estranged PTI leader about the developments, but received no response.

Read More: PTI and Government clash in parliament.

Riaz, the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, responded that he was attending a meeting. However, Imran Shahid, JKT’s political secretary, confirmed the iftar dinner.

When asked about their future political strategy, Shahid stated that the group would keep the media updated on any developments.

Other sources told The News, on condition of anonymity, that the majority of the Tareen group proposed forming an independent group or a party called Haqeeqi Tehreek-e-Insaaf rather than contesting the next elections on PML-N tickets.

According to sources, the majority of the group supports the idea of running for office as an independent candidate. They stated that most members cited the example of the July 2022 by-elections, in which contesting on the PML-N ticket proved detrimental and most members lost the polls.

Furthermore, some members stated that the PML-N already has ticket holders in many constituencies, such as those in Faisalabad and Lodhran, and that the Tareen group is unlikely to get tickets there. They said the plan was to run as an independent candidate or under the banner of a new party led by Jehangir Khan Tareen.

Some members suggested running on the PML-N ticket because the party still has strong roots in Punjab. Tareen had the authority to make any decision in this matter.