Siraj, Tareen, Khattak step down as party heads

LAHORE/PESHAWAR: The heads of Jammat-e-Islami (JI), Istehkam Pakistan Party (IPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Parliamentarians (PTIP) have stepped down in view failure in the general elections.

Istehkam Pakistan Party (IPP) Chairman Jehangir Khan Tareen has announced to resign as party head and to quit politics for good. The IPP chairman, who got clearance from court recently and participated in the general elections but suffered defeat from both seats he was contesting, in a tweet congratulated the newly elected members.

He showed respect to the ‘will’ of people and said that he had decided to quit as IPP chairman and leave politics forever. He stated that he would continue to serve the country.

Tareen served as MNA and federal minister in Gen Pervez Musharraf era. He again got elected as MNA on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ticket in 2015 and also served as party’s secretary general. He could not contest the 2018 general election due to court’s ruling and contested again in 2024 but lost from both NA-149 andNA-155 seats. He used to be a close aide of PTI founder Imran Khan but relationship between the two severed by 2020, and in 2021, a group of MNAs, MPAs of PTI revolted against Imran in his support.

Meanwhile, IPP President Abdul Aleem Khan expressed his deep sorrow over Tareen’s decision. He said, in his tweet, that there is no doubt about it that Tareen is a professional of the highest caliber. Aleem Khan added that indeed having Tareen in any government is a matter of honor for that regime. He said that unfortunately no government could benefit from Tareen’s abilities.

He said Tareen will always be the IPP patron-in-chief. Separately, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Parliamentarians (PTIP) Chairman Pervez Khattak on Monday quit his party position and announced to take a break from electoral politics after his defeat in the February 8 elections. In a statement, the former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, who has served as defence minister in the Centre as well during the PTI government, said he and his family accepted the decision of people of Nowshera wholeheartedly, as they did not vote for him but for their preferred candidates, rejecting him and his close family members.

“I will decide my and my children’s future after a few days. I hope that the candidates, chosen by the people of Nowshera, will serve them better than us,” he said.

“I had already decided to retire from politics before the 2024 elections but my relatives and people of my constituency stopped me from doing so upon which I resumed politics.” He said there was no rigging in the elections but in fact, it was the people’s reaction, which they expressed through their votes.

“The people of Nowshera elected me three times, i.e. as a provincial minister, as a chief minister, and as a federal defense minister, which is a great honour for me,” he said. He said election results fluctuated each time, and just as he claimed victory in the past, now he accepted defeat.

Pervez Khattak remained the KP chief minister from 2013 to 2018 when the PTI had formed the government in the province after the general elections. He was named the defence minister after the 2018 general elections.

He developed differences with PTI founder Imran Khan in the wake of the May 9 violence and launched his own party – PTIP. But his party’s candidates faced a defeat in the recent general elections.

Meanwhile, Sirajul Haq stepped down as central ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) after his party could not secure a single seat in the National Assembly on February 8 elections. “Accepting responsibility of my party’s failure in general elections, I resign as ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami,” Sirajul Haq wrote in his resignation.

Haq was to complete his second consecutive term as JI ameer on March 31 this year. He secured over 52,000 votes from NA-6 Dir district but lost to Muhammad Bashir Khan, an independent candidate back by the PTI.

He further wrote in his resignation that despite complete effort and hardwork, he could not help his party secure desired success in elections, the JI spokesman Qaisar Sharif while quoting Sirajul Haq said.

Meanwhile, JI Secretary General Amirul Azim has convened meeting of JI central shoora at Mansoora, JI headquarters, on February 17 to discuss situation.

The JI sources said that party’s shoora would decide about accepting or not accepting Sirajul Haq’s resignation.

In case, the JI shoora would name acting central ameer till the new ameer is elected and he takes oath of his office.

It has been learnt that veteran leader of Jamaat and sitting Naib Ameer Liaquat Baloch would be named as Jamaat’s acting ameer.

Previously, the long-serving ameer of JI Qazi Hussain Ahmad also resigned in 1994 after party’s defeat in 1993 elections. However, his resignation was not accepted by shoora.