CM Punjab ready to address reservations, Tareen loyalist Raja Riaz claims

• Raja Riaz says CM House Punjab has made contact with him.
• Lawmaker says he expects meeting CM Punjab soon.
• Group's parliamentary leader to address Punjab Assembly tomorrow.

Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar is ready to address the reservations of the Jahangir Tareen group, member of National Assembly (MNA) Raja Riaz claimed Thursday.

Riaz claimed CM House Punjab had contacted him and said that he expects to meet the chief minister soon.

The development comes just a day after PTI leader Jahangir Tareen had announced a separate group in the Punjab Assembly in response to the "revenge tactics" employed against him and his supporters, clarifying that the group is still a part of the party.

The group's parliamentary leader in the Punjab Assembly, Saeed Akbar, is set to address the floor of the house tomorrow and will inform the assembly about the "retaliatory actions" taken against the Tareen group, sources said.

Separate group announced

Yesterday, Tareen had said his supporters had decided to form a separate group after the Punjab government initiated "revenge" against his supporters.

Tareen, however, quickly denied reports he was forming a forward bloc in the party. "We were part of the PTI, we are part of the PTI and we will continue to remain part of the PTI," he announced, outside the banking court where he had appeared for a hearing.

Tareen was accompanied by his supporters, who include Punjab government ministers and other lawmakers of the PTI.

"There is no investigation against me going on relating to the sugar scandal," he said, adding that the three FIRs registered against him were not filed in any sugar inquiry.

Tareen said his "supporters" were standing with him as far as, what he referred to as the "fake" FIR against him is concerned, adding that the pro-Tareen group had met the prime minister.

Speaking about the inquiry into his allegations led by Barrister Ali Zafar, Tareen said he had met him and had given a detailed explanation to him as well.

"I am confident the report will be given to the prime minister soon," he said.

The PTI leader also said there was "another issue" that needed to be addressed.

"Khan sahab is an honourable man and I believe he is just," said Tareen. "However, the Punjab government has started carrying out a vendetta against members of my group," he added.