Asad, Saif likely to return to Imran

ISLAMABAD: PTI former chief organiser Senator Saifullah Niazi and former secretary general hinted on Monday at their return to Imran Khan. Senator Saifullah Sarwar Khan Nyazee rejoined PTI three days after leaving the party. He had announced to quit the party over May 9 incidents while addressing a press conference here last week. He was among the PTI Senators including Faisal Saleem Rehman, Hamayun Mohmand, Ms Zarqa Taimur, Ms Seemi Ezdi (sister of Jehangir Tarin), Ms Falak Naz Chitrali, Fiza Muhammad and Zeeshan Khanzada who addressed a joint press conference outside Parliament House on Monday and condemned the May 9 incidents.

Senator Saifullah was referred as PTI Senator. The Senators said that they had also submitted a condemnation resolution in the Senate Secretariat. Investigations should be conducted against those involved in May 9 mayhem and they should be tried in civilian courts, they added.

The PTI Senators also supported Pakistan Army saying that they salute the armed forces. During joint press conference, when media questioned Saifullah Niazi about his affiliation with PTI, he kept quiet and his fellow Senator Ms Zarqa replied that they are respectable Senator.

Yet in another development, Asad Umer left for Lahore after appearing before the court with plan to meet Imran Khan. He too left the offices of the party after coming out from the prison like Saifullah Niazi.

It yet is to be ascertained that Imran will meet Asad Umer or not. If Asad meets Imran, it would be his first meeting with a “major dissident” after his arrest on May 9. Asad was not seen during the arrest of Imran. It was speculated about Asad that he had planned to leave the country for a “break” in politics.

While talking to media outside a court here Monday he said that despite the fact that a large number of leaders are parting ways with the party, the vote bank is still intact and it belongs only to Imran Khan. “You know that the vote belongs only to Imran Khan, whether someone is there or not, it doesn’t make any difference… when [former prime minister] Zulfikar Ali Bhutto faced difficult times, where the party leaders had been. There was no one left in PPP. When PMLQ formed the government in 2002, all the PMLN members were in it,” he said while speaking to the media outside the Islamabad High Court. When asked about a possible meeting with Imran Khan as he was leaving for Lahore, Umar replied, “Yes, it is possible that I may meet him.”

In response to a question about future plans, Asad Umar smiled and said nothing. Answering a question about “scripted” press conferences of PTI leaders, Asad Umar didn’t dispute about the “scripted” and maintained that it cannot be said about his press conferences.

“My press conference was different. No matter how many times you ask, I am still a part of the party”. Decisions taken by politicians – right or wrong, should not be judged during rallies and TV programmes.

It should not be the case that political opponents become targets of revenge. “Just because we have to run the democracy together but it does not mean that those who indulge in corruption should go unpunished. The rule of law should prevail, and those who break the law should be punished,” he said.

When asked about the improvement in the economic situation of the country, Umar responded that the report from SBP has come out which, according to him, stated that the conditions for 250 million people of Pakistan are extremely challenging.