LAHORE - Two senior politicians, Jahangir Khan Tareen and Aleem Khan, once considered the backbone of the PTI, met here on Monday after a long time to discuss the prospects of launching a new political party comprising the politicians who recently left Imran Khan’s party in the aftermath of May 9 violent incidents.
They met over a luncheon hosted by Aleem Khan at his residence. Ishaq Khaqwani, Saeed Akbar Niwani, Aon Chaudhry and Shoaib Siddiqui were also present among others.
The participants suggested that instead of forming a pressure group they should launch a new political party which should be registered in the Election Commission of Pakistan. Sources privy to the meeting said that the new party might be announced in the next few days after consultation with all the senior lead ers of the Tareen group. Both Aleem Khan and Mr Tareen had been close aides of the PTI chief Imran Khan for the last one decade or so. They were dubbed as ATM machines of Imran Khan by their political opponents for their generous financial contribution to run the party. However, their relations with the party chief turned sour after the party came into power as a result of the 2018 general elections. Tareen Khan is reported to have contacted over 100 politicians belonging to the PTI and other parties in the last over one week to bring them into the party fold. Tareen had a strong group within the PTI even when the party was in power.
