LAHORE: Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan, who was disqualified as a lawmaker last year, dispelled media reports of joining a new political party or launching one.
“Right now, I am only focused on welfare work,” he said in a statement on Sunday. Khan’s remarks come as a clarification after it was reported by a section of media that some PTI dissidents, led by Jahangir Tareen and him, were exploring options to either join the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) or form a new party.
Aleem said presently he has no political affiliation with anyone and neither had he intended to join the formation of any new political party. He said he has long-standing relationship with Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar and Jahangir Khan Tareen but he will not participate in politics with anyone under present circumstances.
He said nowadays all his attention is focused on charitable works and he is keeping himself away from political matters. Aleem further said that along with his business engagements, he is patronizing his AAK Foundation for the service of humanity. He clarified that the news attributed to him regarding formation of a new political party in recent days is not true and contrary to the facts.
It may be noted here that another PTI stalwart, former Punjab governor Chaudhry Sarwar, who has strained relations with both the PML-N and PTI, also sees his future lying with either the PPP or the Tareen group. At least 25 PTI MPAs including Aleem had violated the party line last year and voted for PML-N chief minister candidate Hamza Shehbaz.
Under a court’s order, these lawmakers were disqualified. Subsequently, the PML-N awarded them tickets for the by-polls last July in return for their ‘sacrifice’. However, almost all of them lost to the PTI, paving the way for the ouster of short-lived chief minister Hamza.
Similarly, some PTI dissident MNAs from the Tareen group had joined hands with the PML-N-led coalition in the Centre and incumbent National Assembly opposition leader Raja Riaz is one of them. They are also said to be exploring future political options.
The move came after Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah recently spoke his party’s mind on the future of the PTI dissidents. He blamed the ‘turncoat factor’ for their loss in the July by-polls and declared that they would not be considered for tickets in the next general election. “The PML-N will prefer the candidates based on the wishes of the workers of the constituencies,” Sanaullah had said. It is pertinent to mention here that PTI chairman Imran Khan has already alleged that the establishment is “sending electables in south” to the PPP.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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