LAHORE – Jahangir Khan Tareen, once Prime Minister Imran Khan's close friend, Tuesday formalised the split in the ruling party after announcing its separate parliamentary leaders in the Punjab and National Assembly.
Reports in local media suggest that Raja Riaz has been appointed as parliamentary leader of the Jahangir Tareen group in the National Assembly, while Saeed Akbar Nawani will be the parliamentary leader in the Punjab Assembly.
The development came after PTI estranged member Jahangir Tareen hosted a dinner at his residence where a number of MNAs and MPAs had joined him while Raja Riaz, the most vocal supporter of Tareen, claimed that the total strength of the group close to 40.
Earlier today, Tareen while speaking with the press outside a banking court denies reports of forming a forward bloc within the ruling party but accused the Punjab government of ‘revenge politics’ against members of his group.
‘We were part of the Tehreek e Insaf, we are part of it and we will continue to remain part of it, Tareen responded to a query. Adding that ‘there is no investigation against me going on relating to the sugar scandal, the three FIRs registered against me were not filed in any sugar inquiry’.
My supporters are standing with me as far as, the Punjab govt taking revenge against loyalists by lodging phony FIRs. Tareen added that he had met Ali Zafar, a member of the reconciliation committee, and had given him a detailed explanation. I am confident the report will be given to the Prime Minister soon, he added.
Meanwhile, a session’s court has extended his bail till May 31. During the court hearing, a judge asked a Federal investigator about the arrest of Mr. Tareen. The FIA's investigation officer first kept silent but then responded that they are reviewing the records for now.