After IPP, new party led by Pervez Khattak on horizon

• Three names for new party under consideration.
• Over 50 ex-MNAs, MPAs likely to join new party.
• IPP's Aun Chaudhry, Nauman Langrial to remain in cabinet.

NOWSHERA: In a major setback to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and his PTI, party leaders from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter are set to form a new political party, The News reported Sunday.

Credible sources said that the manifesto and flag of the new party, to be spearheaded by former defence minister and KP chief minister Pervez Khattak had been finalised.

Moreover, one of three names — Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarians, Tehreek-e-Insaf Pakistan and Muttahidda Tehreek-e-Insaf Pakistan — will be picked up for the new party.

Khattak, who served as the PTI's secretary general and chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the PTI government, quit the post of PTI KP president soon after the May 9 mayhem.

However, earlier this week, the party sacked him over his failure to respond to a “show cause notice” issued to him.

The meeting of PTI leaders, including former members of national and provincial assemblies, has been convened in Peshawar, and the new party will be announced in a news conference soon.

The sources said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had also contacted Khattak and asked him to join their parties.

However, Khattak has decided to form his own political party instead of joining any other.

Earlier, Khattak completed homework and consultations with PTI leaders and 'electables' from other political parties in Islamabad and Peshawar. Over 50 ex-MNAs and MPAs are likely to join the new party.

Meanwhile, sources privy to the political huddle also revealed that general elections would be held in 2024.

They said that the noose was being tightened around former prime minister Khan as cases will be registered against him under the Army Act besides taking the ongoing cases — Toshakhana and Al-Qadir University Trust, instituted by the Election Commission of Pakistan and National Accountability Bureau (NAB), respectively — to their logical conclusion.

Certain close aides of the former premier and bureaucrats, the sources add added, will become approvers against Imran Khan to take him to task for confrontation with the establishment.

IPP to be part of federal cabinet, says Tareen

While a new party led by Kattak is expected to be launched soon, Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) Chief Jahangir Khan Tareen has said that leaders Aun Chaudhry and Nauman Langrial will remain part of the federal cabinet until the government tenure is completed.

Aun has also denied the news of his resignation from the cabinet and said he was part of the prime minister’s team until the government completed its term.

Addressing a party meeting on Saturday, IPP President Aleem said instructions had been issued to form groups in agriculture, industry and other sectors where new policies would be devised for the future of Pakistan.

Talking to party leaders Norez Shakoor from Sahiwal, Rana Nazir Ahmad from Gujranwala, Mamoon Jafar Tarar from Hafizabad and Deewan Akhlaq from Okara, he said the annual growth rate had decreased to an alarming extent and measures would have to be taken on an emergency basis.

There is a need to introduce policies on modern lines according to current requirements, for which recommendations of agricultural and economic experts will be included in the party manifesto, he said.

Provision of more jobs will be the first priority because a stable economy is the most important need of the hour, without which Pakistan cannot get a place in the comity of nations, Aun said.

He added that, unfortunately, nothing was done for youths in the previous government except to mislead them.