Asad Umar ‘in touch’ with Fawad, not Tareen

ISLAMABAD: Asad Umar, the former secretary general of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), addressed the status of his communication with Punjab’s influential politician Jahangir Tareen and party’s former senior vice-president Fawad Chaudhry.

Tareen, according to the party leader, has not reached out to him. However, Fawad maintains regular contact. The revelation made by Umar sheds light on the current dynamics and relationships of PTI’s existing politicians and the defectors, as key figures navigate their roles and interactions within the country’s political landscape.

Umar’s statement came during an informal exchange with journalists, as he departed from the district kachehri in Islamabad, where he arrived to seek interim bail in a case pertaining to the riots at the judicial complex in the federal capital in March during party chairman Imran Khan’s appearance in the Toshakhana case.

The politician has been granted bail in the corresponding case, months after being booked at the Tarnol Police Station in the federal capital. When asked if he would join Tareen’s party, he said: “What association do I have with Jahangir Tareen?”

He was then queried if the senior politician had contacted him, to which he replied in the negative. “Jahangir Tareen has not made any contact yet.” The PTI leader said while he had been out of jail for the last seven to eight days, he has been visiting the courts. He informed journalists that only the party’s former senior vice president has contacted him.

“Fawad Chaudhry remains in touch with me from time to time,” he said. Meanwhile, on Friday, he had denied being part of Fawad’s venture. A journalist then questioned Umar about former party member Faisal Vawda’s agenda. “Ask this question from Faisal Vawda,” he replied.

Unlike other PTI leaders, who quit the party following the countrywide May 9 riots triggered by Khan’s arrest in the £190 million settlement case, Umar chose to stick with the party. However, on May 24, he quit his position as its secretary general and left the core committee as well. The former minister has repeatedly denied quitting PTI and joining another party. “I am in the party, no matter how many times you ask [same question],” he said last week.

Meanwhile, senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Qaiser on Monday clarified that he was standing with the party and is currently in contact with Chairman Imran Khan. The former National Assembly speaker made these remarks upon his arrival at an Islamabad court to attend a hearing of a case related to vandalism outside the judicial complex in the federal capital.

Qaiser’s status was unclear with confusion around whether he has quit the party or not after former PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa president Pervez Khattak announced quitting party positions in a joint presser during which the former speaker was also seated but remained silent. Khattak cited May 9 mayhem as the reason behind his decision.

When asked about his current status today, Asad Qaiser said: “I am with Tehreek-e-Insaf and in touch with chairman PTI.” Another journalist questioned him asking whether Jahangir Tareen — who is currently forming a new political party mostly comprising PTI defectors — contacted him or not, the PTI leader responded, saying, “no contact with Jahangir Tareen.” Qasier insisted that he is with PTI when pressed about Fawad Chauhdry’s claim. The former information minister and party spokesperson had claimed that he had contacted Qaiser and other party leaders.