LAHORE/KARACHI/PESHAWAR: A number of political figures and entities declared their desire to step down, regardless of the political spotlight or because of the few mandates they had managed to acquire in last week’s elections. For some, it was a walk of shame, while for others, it was a display of defiance.
The leader of the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party, Jahangir Khan Tareen, who was assembled from PTI defectors in advance of the elections, declared his retirement from politics following his party’s crushing defeat.
Mr. Tareen, who was formerly regarded as a confidant of PTI founder and imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan, lost both of the National Assembly places he was running for, while his fledgling party only won two NA and one provincial assembly member.
Tareen declared his decision to break away from politics entirely and quit as the chairman of the IPP in a poignant post on X, the former Twitter. “My appreciation to every IPP member. “I hope for the best for them,” he continued.
I would like to thank everyone who supported me in this election and want to offer my congratulations to my opponents. I have immense respect for the will of the people of Pakistan. Therefore, I have decided to resign from my position as Chairman IPP and step away from politics…
— Jahangir Khan Tareen (@JahangirKTareen) February 12, 2024
JKT leaves politics; Pir Pagara is furious with “pro-Zardari” outcomes; Khattak disputes rumors that the PTI-P is breaking up.
With this move, the IPP enters a new chapter, and many are wondering what will happen to the party now that its founder is no longer with it.
IPP now has a vacancy with Tareen’s exit from politics, and it is unclear how the party will handle this new phase. Regarding Tareen, a lot of people are excited about his next endeavors because he promised to keep serving the nation in a private position.
IPP President Abdul Aleem Khan conveyed sorrow in response to this news and stated that Tareen will always be the IPP’s major sponsor. He went on to say that Tareen’s employment by any administration was an honor for it.
“I honor him and his charitable endeavors like a younger brother as IPP president. May Allah grant them prosperity, well-being, and safety. He continued, “Amen,” in an update on X.
جہانگیر خان ترین صاحب کے فیصلے سے دلی دُکھ ہوا۔ وہ ہمیشہ آئی پی پی اور ہم سب کے سرپرست اعلیٰ رہیں گے۔ اُن کا کسی بھی حکومت میں ہونااُس حکومت کے لیے اعزاز کی بات ہے۔ سیاست سے ہٹ کر وہ انسانیت کا درد رکھنے والی شخصیت ہیں۔ بطورچھوٹا بھائی اور آئی پی پی صدر کی حیثیت سےانہیں اور اُن… https://t.co/qlnTQpB9OU
— Abdul Aleem Khan (@abdul_aleemkhan) February 12, 2024
Aleem Khan has won a sizable mandate from the voters after winning both NA-117 and PP-149, two constituencies for the provincial assembly in Lahore.
Pir Pagara furious
Leader of the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) and PML-Functional chief Pir Pagara rejected the results of the 2024 elections, claiming that they were awarded two seats as “charity” and that they did not wish to keep them.
During a news conference conducted on Monday in Karachi after the GDA meeting, the Hur Jamaat’s spiritual head declared that on February 16 there will be a sit-in protesting the discrimination at the Hyderabad Bypass. He added that additional political parties would be contacted by the GDA to get involved the sit-in.
گرینڈ ڈیموکریٹک الائنس کے سربراہ اور حروں کے روحانی پیشوا پیر صاحب پاگارا کی زہر صدارت گرینڈ ڈیموکریٹک الائنس کا اہم اجلاس شروع pic.twitter.com/rxzSm0d4un
— Pir Syed Sibghatullah Shah Rashdi (Pir Pagara) (@PirPagaroPMLF) February 12, 2024
He revealed that he had received advice from someone associated with him to disband the GDA and run for office under the PML-F flag. “I was informed that I would receive my seats in the national and Sindh Assemblies if I formed a partnership with Asif Zardari,” he continued.
He claimed he was informed that failing to close the GDA chapter would have “zero” consequences.
He questioned, “We also restore these two seats. If the province as a whole was to be turned into the hands of [Asif Ali] Zardari, then why was there the need for an election?” Zardari needs these seats as well, so give them to him.
According to the PML-F chief, his father has always been an army supporter. “The late Pir Pagara, who joined the GHQ in 1954, consistently recommended that we enlist in the army.” However, whenever and wherever we are denied respect and fairness, we are given the right to demonstrate.
In response to a question about whether his protest would infuriate the nation’s establishment, Pir Pagara stated that a son would leave the family if he was upset with his father.
Pervez Khattak
The leader of his own PTI-Parliamentarian division stated on Monday that he had no intention of leaving politics or dissolving his political party, despite the widespread rumors that prior KP chief minister Pervez Khattak had said goodbye to the political scene in the wake of his party’s dismal performance on election day.
PTI-P spokesman Ziaullah Bangash informed Dawn that social media rumors that Mr. Khattak was leaving politics were untrue. He replied, “I just spoke with Mr. Khattak, and he denies issuing any such statement.”
After splitting into two factions, the PTI-P’s top leadership was unable to leave its mark on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa politics, winning two provincial assembly positions from Peshawar.
Two previous chief ministers, Mr. Khattak and Mahmood Khan, were shocked by the poll results on Thursday as they both lost their congressional seats in their hometown districts of Nowshera and Swat, correspondingly.
SOURCE: DAWN NEWS
