JKT returns after London visit

LONDON: Billionaire businessman and Prime Minister Imran Khan’s former confidante Jahangir Khan Tareen and his son Ali Tareen have returned to Pakistan after spending ten days in London.

Jahangir Tareen had arrived in London in the third week of October amid speculation that he may meet former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif or someone senior from his party but both Jahangir Tareen and Sharif family sources dismissed the speculation and said there would be no meeting.

It’s understood that Tareen and his son Ali remained busy with medical checkups and other appointments in a private capacity but didn’t hold political meetings. Jahangir Tareen confirmed that his visit to London was strictly private and long due as he was unable to visit London due to lockdown restrictions. He has been getting treatment at a private clinic on Harley Street and unable to see his doctor for over a year due to travel restrictions.

When contacted, Jahangir Tareen had said: “There are no political meetings planned and there is no political scheme I have in mind. I will see my doctors, friends and associates but in a private capacity.”

Sources in the PML-N said there was no meeting plan to begin with and the speculation started when Tareen had booked his flight to London. After travel restrictions were eased last month, politicians from Pakistan have started arriving in London on personal, family visits and to hold political meetings.

Five lawmakers from the PML-N met Nawaz Sharif on Monday afternoon. At least five more have booked tickets and will be coming over this week. Azad Kashmir’s former Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider reached London this week and currently he’s in quarantine. He confirmed that he would meet Nawaz Sharif and then head to America and return to London from there for an important PML-N meeting, to be chaired by Nawaz Sharif.

Several PTI leaders have plans to visit London too. State Bank of Pakistan Governor Reza Baqir was in London last week for four days and spoke to the Pakistani community in London and Manchester. His comments at the Manchester event caused a storm in Pakistan when he said that the rupee depreciation against the US dollar was beneficial for overseas Pakistanis and in their interest.