Tareen quits as PTI secy general

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Secretary General Jehangir Khan Tareen (JKT) quit the party position following his disqualification from the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

However, PTI leadership decided to keep the post secretary general vacant as it would appoint party’s new secretary general following the Supreme Court verdict on the review petition to be filed by Jehangir Khan Tareen challenging his disqualification by the apex court.

PTI chairman Imran Khan chaired a meeting of the party’s core group here, which reviewed the situation, arising out of the SC bench verdict. The meeting expressed satisfaction with the judgement and welcomed further confirmation of Imran’s truthfulness and honesty by the apex court bench.

Tareen sent his typed resignation to Imran Khan earlier in the day, which the forum accepted. However, decided to appoint the new one after a decision by the apex court on his review petition, to be filed shortly.

The meeting came hard on the role of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) with regard to the Hudaibya Paper Mills case while the prosecutors appointed by former NAB chairman were criticised severely in this connection for being hand in glove with the Sharif family.

A five-member committee under PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi was also formed to thrash out recommendations with reference to the paper mills case next week. Other members of the committee are: Asad Umar, Shahfqat Mehmood, Babar Awan and Fawad Chaudhry.

For allegedly carrying out character assassination of Imran Khan for a year, the meeting decided to take legal action against Geo, Jang Group and Moto Gang, and Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman as Moto Gang was asked to apologise to the nation, donors of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and poor patients, who had been given relief by the hospital.

Tareen was highly appreciated for his role in exposing the Sharif family in the Panama Papers case and it was noted that he tendered resignation as secretary general of PTI while Ishaq Dar continued to cling on to the post of finance minister even after having been declared a proclaimed offender.

The meeting welcomed the apex court bench’s direction to the Election Commission of Pakistan to look into financial accounts of other political parties as well. The forum paid rich tributes to the martyrs of Army Public School, Peshawar. The services of late Saloni Bokhari were also lauded for the party. Those who attended the meeting included Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Shafqat Mehmood, Azam Swati, Babar Awan and Fawad Chaudhry.

Meanwhile, Imran Khan said that Jehangir Khan Tareen (JKT) showed his unswerving commitment to the cause of Naya Pakistan.

“JKT you have shown unswerving commitment to the cause of Naya Pakistan & worked with utmost dedication for our cause. For me it doesn't matter whether you hold a position in PTI or are in Parliament, you will always remain right next to me as we build Naya Pakistan InshaAllah,” Imran tweeted.