Tareen says can’t lead party until cleared by court

LAHORE: Jehangir Khan Tareen, the former senior leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) who later formed a rebel group within the party, has said that he cannot assume leadership of a political party due to legal restrictions.

Tareen, who is considered a significant figure in the potential political landscape following the possible departure of some members from Imran Khan’s PTI, expressed his support for those who have shown confidence in him when contacted by The News. However, he clarified that due to his ongoing legal situation, he is unable to lead a party. It should be noted that in December 2017, a three-member Supreme Court bench had disqualified Jehangir Khan Tareen as an MNA.

As a result, he is currently ineligible to hold public office or assume leadership of a political party.

Interestingly, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is facing a similar situation, having been disqualified from his PM office and subsequently barred from leading his party by a court ruling.

Recent events, including the May 9 attack on Jinnah House and statues of Shaheed soldiers of the Pakistan Army, carried out by an angry mob of PTI workers, have led to a growing exodus of supporters from Imran Khan’s party.

Two PTI MNAs, Mehmood Molvi and Amir Kayani, have resigned from party membership and returned their tickets. Ibad Farooq, a PTI ticket holder from Lahore, initially announced his intention to return his ticket but later pledged his loyalty to the party. A group of former PTI MPAs from South Punjab has also announced their departure, along with two MPAs from Sindh. These developments have sparked speculations about the emergence of a new PTI, possibly led by figures such as Jehangir Khan Tareen or Khusro Bakhtiar. However, Tareen, when contacted, reiterated his inability to assume leadership due to the legal constraints he currently faces.Nevertheless, some members, including former PTI MPAs from Punjab who have joined Tareen’s group, believe that the situation will become clearer by September. They anticipate an important role for Tareen starting later this year.