Jahangir Khan Tareen, a former prominent figure in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has reportedly made plans to launch a new political party.
It is anticipated that disillusioned PTI leaders and various political families from regions including Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Muzzafargarh, Lodhran, and Multan will join Tareen’s newly formed party. Moreover, key leaders from Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan have purportedly contacted the former PTI stalwart.
Tareen is set to hold the position of patron-in-chief within the new party.
Tareen served as the secretary general for PTI until his removal from politics by the Supreme Court in 2017 due to dishonesty charges instigated by a petition from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hanif Abbasi.
Despite this, Tareen retained significant influence within PTI, playing a crucial role in rallying the support of independent lawmakers following the 2018 elections, which ultimately paved the way for Imran Khan’s ascendency to prime minister.
However, Tareen and PTI leader Aleem Khan found themselves at odds with PTI after its rise to power. Khan, the ousted prime minister, alleged that both leaders pursued unlawful advantages, causing a rift.
During the successful no-confidence motion against Imran Khan-led by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) last year, Tareen and Aleem Khan found themselves back in the public eye. A cohort of dissenting PTI members, known for supporting Tareen, gained prominence during this time, including Raja Riaz, the National Assembly’s Opposition Leader.
Speculation regarding Tareen’s intent to form a new party has been rife since last year, with reports as early as January indicating potential plans by Tareen, Aleem Khan, and other dissenting PTI figures to establish a new political platform.
A report from March suggested that a faction called “Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Nazriyati (PTIN) or Haqeeqi Tehreek-e-Insaaf (HTI)” was being formed to contest future elections.
In the aftermath of the recent PTI crackdown following the protests spurred by Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9, a wave of leaders have broken away from the party, leading to the formation of factions such as PTI Haqiqi, spearheaded by Rao Yasir, the former president of PTI Multan district Youth Wing.
