Surprisingly, Jahangir Tareen, Patron-in-chief of the Istekhan-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), has announced his resignation as the party chairman and his departure from the political arena.
Expressing his sentiments on X (previously known as Twitter), the notable sugar magnate extended his gratitude to his supporters and congratulated his adversaries. “I hold great respect for the Pakistani electorate’s decision,” he stated, acknowledging the support from the IPP members, a party established in the aftermath of the events on May 9.
Tareen committed to contributing to Pakistan’s welfare in a non-political capacity, expressing hope for the nation’s prosperity in the coming years.
It’s important to note that Tareen faced electoral defeats in two National Assembly constituencies during the February 8 general elections. Competing in NA-149 and NA-155 Lodhran-2, Tareen did not achieve victory, according to unofficial tallies.
In the Lodhran constituency, as per the results from 369 polling stations, PML-N’s Sadiqque Khan Baloch won in NA-155 with 117,671 votes, surpassing Tareen’s 71,128 votes. Additionally, in NA-149 Multan, Tareen secured 50,166 votes but was defeated by a PTI-endorsed independent candidate, Malik Amir Dogar, who received 143,613 votes.
Responding to Tareen’s decision, IPP President Abdul Aleem Khan lauded Tareen, stating he would remain the perpetual patron-in-chief of IPP. He praised Tareen’s governmental contributions and philanthropic efforts and wished him health, safety, and success. Aleem Khan also celebrated his electoral successes in NA-117 and Lahore’s PP-149 provincial assembly constituency.