Estranged PTI leader Jahangir Tareen Wednesday said that his supporters decided to form a separate group after the Punjab government initiated ‘revenge actions’ against his supporters.
Speaking to reporters outside a court, Tareen, however, dispelled reports of a split in the ruling party. “We were part of the PTI, we are part of the PTI and we will continue to remain part of the PTI,” he said, admitting that the group he was part of had existed within the party for the past three months.
Jahangir Tareen alleged that the Punjab government had been exacting revenge from the members of the group, using different pressure tactics such as transfers. “We have decided to raise voice against it in the Punjab Assembly and have nominated Sardar Saeed Akbar Khan Niwani to lead this discussion in the assembly as our representative,” he added.
Tareen urged the Punjab government to stop its ‘retaliatory activities’ forthwith. “Prime Minister had promised to deliver justice but then Punjab government began retaliatory activities against us and pressurising us,” he claimed. “We have decided that we will raise our voice in the Punjab Assembly. The entire responsibility [of this development] lies on Punjab government. We have not formed a forward bloc; we have appointed a focal person to represent us in the assembly,” he added.
Tareen was accompanied by his supporters, who include Punjab government ministers and other lawmakers of the PTI. “There is no investigation against me going on relating to the sugar scandal,” he said, adding that the three FIRs registered against him were not filed in any sugar inquiry. Speaking about the inquiry into his allegations led by Barrister Ali Zafar, Tareen said he had met him and had given a detailed explanation to him as well. “I am confident the report will be given to the prime minister soon,” he said.
In response to a question, Tareen said the Punjab government had taken revenge from members of his group in other matters as well but he would rather not go into details of it. Answering another question, he said Prime Minister Imran Khan and Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar should not seek a vote of confidence after his dissident group emerged. “We haven’t left the party, we are still part of it,” he reiterated.
When a reporter asked Tareen that some lawmakers of his group had said they would not let the Punjab government pass its budget, he responded, “It is every individual’s right to express his or her opinion. The group will take decisions [taking into account everyone’s opinions],” he added.
The PTI leader, before speaking to the media, had appeared before a banking court in Lahore for a hearing into the case filed against him. His son, Ali Tareen, was also by his side with their lawyers and supporters. “Do you want to arrest Jahangir Tareen?” asked the judge. The FIA’s investigation officer kept silent but then responded, “We are reviewing the records.”
The court decided to grant bail to the accused and his son till May 31.
Separately, Tareen, along with son Ali Tareen, appeared before Additional Sessions Judge Hamid Hussain, who was hearing their pleas for interim bail in cases pertaining to money laundering and fraud. As the hearing commenced, the court inquired about the progress of the probe against the accused from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). FIA Deputy Director Chand Ashraf told the court that the probe was under way and submitted an inquiry report. The FIA sought more time for the completion of the inquiry, at which the court warned of issuing show-cause notices if the inquiry wasn’t completed until the next hearing on May 31.
Meanwhile, the members of Jahangir Tareen’s like-minded group have decided to sit on separate benches in the Punjab Assembly. The group’s parliamentary leader in Punjab Assembly Saeed Akbar Khan Nawani along with other members will hold a meeting with the speaker for separate seats for their members, sources said.
