Election setback takes down two party heads — IPP’s Jahangir Tareen, JI’s Sirajul Haq

Jahangir Tareen, the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) patron-in-chief, and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Sirajul Haq stepped down from the top slots citing poor electoral results of their parties in the February 8 nationwide polls.

Subsequently, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Parliamentarians (PTI-P) chief Pervez Khattak also announced taking a break from politics after poll humiliation.

Tareen, an influential politician who was once a close aide of incarcerated former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, has faced humiliation in Thursday's general elections as his newly-formed party grabbed only two National Assembly (NA) and one provincial assembly seats.

Citing poor electoral performance, the IPP founder announced quitting politics and his party position in a post on X.

“I would like to thank everyone who supported me in this election and want to offer my congratulations to my opponents. I have immense respect for the will of the people of Pakistan. Therefore, I have decided to resign from my position as Chairman IPP and step away from politics altogether,” the senior politician wrote on his official X handle.

“My gratitude to all the members of IPP. I wish them the absolute best. By the Grace of Allah, I will continue to serve my country to the best of my ability in a private capacity. May the next few years see Pakistan prosper IA. Pakistan Zindabad,” he added.

In another development on the political landscape today, the chief of the politico-religious party, Sirajul Haq tendered his resignation citing “failures to get the targeted electoral results.”

The Siraj-led party failed to win a single NA seat, however, it grabbed five provincial seats.

Qaiser Sharif, JI’s Central Secretary Information of, confirmed the development regarding the party chief’s resignation which he tendered after taking responsibility for disappointing electoral performance in the general polls.

Sharif said that JI’s Secretary General Ameerul Azeem summoned an emergency session of the central shura on February 17 at the party’s headquarters — Mansoora Lahore. “The central shura’s session will commence at 10am and mull over the situation [post-resignation of the JI emir].”