Web Desk
A new political party is emerging on the horizon as former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Fawad Chaudhry, Imran Ismail, and Ali Zaidi, along with several other former party members, prepare to join forces with Jahangir Khan Tareen, who is gathering support amidst the disintegration of the PTI.
Sources indicate that Tareen, who is expected to announce the launch of his party, “Istehkam-e-Pakistan,” later today, has made significant progress in attracting PTI defectors. Over 100 leaders from across the country attended a dinner hosted by Aleem Khan at his residence in honor of Tareen and his group.
According to insiders, Tareen will unveil his new party at a local hotel in Lahore and is likely to become its patron-in-chief. Joining Zaidi and Imran at the dinner were Mahmood Baqi Moulvi and Jai Parkash, two former PTI leaders from Sindh.
Among the former PTI leaders present at the gathering, who are expected to join the new party, are Murad Raas, Firdous Ashiq Awan, Muhammad Zaheer-ud-Din Khan Alizai, Fayyaz ul Hassan Chohan, Malik Nauman Ahmad Langrial, Chaudhry Muhammad Norez Shakoor, former secretary general Aamir Kayani, Javed Ansari, Tariq Abdullah, Syed Ghazi Gulab Jamal, and Ajmal Khan Wazir from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Additionally, Rafaqat Gillani, former MPA from Chishtian, Mumtaz Mehravi, and ex-MPA from Sahiwal, Meher Irshad Kathia, Mian Usman Ashraf from Nankana Sahib, and Major (retd) Khurram Rokhri announced their decision to join the Tareen party.
It is worth noting that several of the defectors, at the time of their resignations, had claimed to be quitting politics or taking a break. However, during the recent dinner, they expressed full confidence in Tareen as he announced the formation of the new party.
Tareen, a sugar mogul who was disqualified from holding public office for life by the Supreme Court and had remained in the background, regained activity following the May 9 unrest and its aftermath. On that day, PTI Chairman Imran Khan was arrested at the Islamabad High Court, prompting his supporters to take to the streets and attack important military installations, including the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi and the Lahore Corps Commander’s House (Jinnah House).
The subsequent arrest of multiple PTI leaders under the Maintenance of Public Order laws led to a mass exodus from the party. Taking advantage of these resignations, Tareen is reportedly planning to announce a new party, predominantly comprising defectors from the former ruling party.
This development first came to light after a luncheon hosted in honor of Tareen and his aides at the residence of former PTI leader Aleem.
