Jahangir Tareen says London visit not political

• Jahangir Tareen says he is in London for two weeks.
• Tareen says will he is in UK for medical checkups.
• "There are no political meetings planned," he adds.

LONDON: Billionaire businessman and Prime Minister Imran Khan’s former confidante Jahangir Khan Tareen has said his visit to London, United Kingdom, is for private reasons and has nothing to do with any political manoeuvring.

The former PTI secretary-general, after arriving in London on Monday morning, told Geo News the speculations that he will be meeting leaders from PML-N and PPP were false.

“I am in London for two weeks for medical checkups and other engagements. There are no political meetings planned and there is no political scheme I have in mind. I will see my doctors, friends, and associates but in a private capacity,” he shared.

Almost a year ago when Tareen was in London, rumours had circulated that he may meet members of the Sharif family in London but both sides had denied any contact and it later turned out there was no contact of any sort.

Tareen confirmed he will be staying in London for around two weeks and will then return to Pakistan with his son.

Several PML-N and PPP leaders are set to reach London this week after the lockdown restrictions eased and Pakistan moved out of the Red List category. Two senior politicians from Azad Kashmir are already in quarantine in London.

Several PML-N leaders will be reaching London soon to meet Nawaz Sharif. It’s understood that PPP leaders will also be coming to London soon.

PTI government representatives Chaudhary Sarwar, the Punjab governor, and Shehryar Afridi, the federal minister on Kashmir Affairs, were recently in Europe.

PM Imran Khan’s advisor on Finance Shaukat Tarin was set to reach London on Tuesday evening to take part in a business community event with Reza Baqir, the State Bank of Pakistan's governor, who has been in London for three days.  

Tareen has his family home in Newbury, around an hour out of London, where he often stays during UK visits, while his brother-in-law and PPP leader Makhdoom Ahmed Mahmood owns a flat near Park Lane. A PPP source said that the former Punjab governor will be in London shortly but it's not for any political meetings.

Just before Tareen left for London, his son Ali Tareen challenged a notice by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) which claimed that he had not disclosed overseas assets worth over a whopping £30 million. 

Ali has rejected the allegations and his father has said that a lobby within the PTI government was targeting him.

Tareen used to be very close to PM Imran Khan and played a leading role in the party till around two years ago when his relations with the premier started becoming sour after a sugar inquiry report by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) held him partially responsible for the sugar crisis.  

Tareen has denied all allegations. After spending nearly half a year in London, he returned to Pakistan last summer and attended several court hearings, and spoke to the media, including launching his own group of influential lawmakers within the PTI ranks.