No-trust motion: Jahangir Tareen chairs important meeting

• "We have given authority for all decisions to Jahangir," MPA Nauman Langrial says.
• Tareen chaired session through a video link from London.
• Jahangir Khan Tareen group discusses political situation amid a fast-changing political scenario.

A key player in the Punjab riddle, the Jahangir Khan Tareen group, also held its meeting today with their leader chairing the session through a video link from London.

Tareen is in the UK for medical treatment for the last couple of weeks but has been holding regulation meetings with his loyal parliamentarians after both the government and the Opposition sought their support for a no-trust move.

The group discussed the political situation amid a fast-changing political scenario and took several important decisions in this regard.

Speaking to the media after the group’s meeting — convened to discuss the no-confidence motion tabled in the National Assembly — Punjab MPA Nauman Langrial said that future talks will only be held once Chief Minister of Punjab Usman Buzdar leaves.

“Every member of the Tareen group agrees that talks can only proceed based on a minus-Buzdar formula.”

Answering a question about their nominee for the new Punjab chief minister after the removal of Usman Buzdar, Langrial said Tareen will decide the matter.

Langarial said that the group has given the authority for all the decisions to Tareen. 

“We have also told Aleem Khan that he will have to abide by the decisions of Jahangir Tareen. There will be no disagreement on his decision.”

He said that the group has been contacted by various parties.

The MPA said that the group has come with a mandate and is thinking well for the nation and the PTI.

He further said that Tareen will decide whether Aleem Khan will be the chief minister or not.

Aleem Khan joins Tareen group

In a surprise move on Monday, senior PTI leader and once a candidate for Punjab CM office, Aleem Khan, announced to join the Tareen group, sending shockwaves among the ruling party leadership.

Khan, addressing a press conference after a meeting at Tareen's residence, had said if a no-confidence is moved against Usman Buzdar, then the group would decide a future course of action accordingly.

The former provincial minister had said he would not have been "sad" had PTI's popularity been growing, but lamented that the situation of the government was dismal.

"PTI voters and loyalists are upset over the dismal situation of the government in Punjab. Therefore, we decided that a like-minded [group] should be formed who had sacrificed for the party."

The ex-minister had said he spoke to around 40 MPAs in the last four days, and a majority of them expressed concerns over the situation of the government in Punjab.

He had noted that the former PTI secretary-general played an important role in the party's rise to power.

"We are thankful to him [...] he is sick at the moment, so I asked Nawani to hold the meeting at Tareen's residence. This was done in order to give a message to Tareen that despite his absence, he is not forgotten," he had said.