Shazia Marri dismisses reports suggesting Jahangir Tareen may join PPP

Shazia Marri on Wednesday rejected reports suggesting estranged PTI leader Jahangir Tareen may join the PPP after it was reported that he was considering parting  ways with the Imran Khan-led party.

On Tuesday, Sindh Minister for Women Development Shahla Raza deleted a tweet claiming that PTI leader Jahangir Tareen may join the PPP during a meeting "next week" with ex-president Asif Ali Zardari in Karachi.

Raza claimed Tareen had already met PPP's Makhdoom Ahmed Mahmood, and "it is believed he will meet former president Asif Ali Zardari" in Karachi.

"It is believed he will leave PTI and join PPP along with his aides during the meeting.

Responding to Raza's statement, Tareen had said a "consistent propaganda" campaign is in place against him. "The reports of my meeting with PPP leaders are baseless."

"People spreading rumours against me will be disappointed," he added.

But, today PPP’s Central Information Secretary Shazia Marri also dismissed the claims in a conversation with Geo Pakistan.

“According to my information, reports claiming Jahangir Tareen joining PPP have no credence,” Marri told the hosts. She added that all such news reports were "incorrect".

Reports regarding Tareen came in the backdrop of the FIA notices sent to Tareen and his son, Ali Tareen.

We respect ANP’s decision

The PPP leader also spoke about the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and its future after ANP decided to quit the Opposition alliance over show-cause notices sent to them.

The PPP leader said that ANP is an independent political party and that her party respects the Asfandyar Wali-led party's decision to leave the alliance.

“It’s a political party and is independent and has the right to make its own decisions and it did,” said Marri.

Bilawal showing restraint

The central information secretary of the PPP also slammed the show-cause notice sent by the PDM to her party, saying that her leader Bilawal Bhutto was showing restraint in the face of growing criticism from the Opposition alliance, especially PML-N leaders.

Marri clarified the PPP had intention of leaving the alliance and reminded that the party was among the founders of the Opposition alliance.

“This alliance was formed against this selected government and all Opposition parties joined and gathered on a forum,” she said. She added that all the 10 parties had one objective which was to send the government packing.

“PPP still wants to send this incompetent government home,” said the lawmaker. She added that the PPP believes in working with the Opposition by keeping their differences aside but said it seem as if the PML-N thought otherwise.

“We have given reacted to the show -cause notice sent to us as well. We have also questioned the person who sent the show cause notice, asking in what capacity did he send it,” said Marri. She explained that her party was independent and was “not subordinate to anyone”.

The PDM alliance is in doldrums after leaders of the Awami National Party withdrew from the forum after show-cause notices were issued to the party to explain their actions during the recently held Senate polls.

The decision was announced by Ameer Haider Khan Hoti during a press conference in Peshawar.

It comes a day after the notices were issued, to both ANP and PPP.

PPP was asked to explain within a week, its move to get appointed its candidate, Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, as Leader of Opposition in Senate, without first obtaining the consent of parties of the Opposition alliance.

ANP, on the other hand, was issued a notice for supporting the PPP in its efforts to get Gillani designated by roping in senators from the government's ally Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) to complete the numbers required.