PESHAWAR: Former close aide of ex-premier Imran Khan, Pervez Khattak, has established a new political party named Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Parliamentarians. This move comes only days after being expelled from the PTI, where he formerly served as the defense minister.
A number of notable individuals, including former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Mahmood Khan, as well as ex-lawmakers Shaukat Ali and Syed Muhammad Ishtiaq Urmar, have joined the newly formed party, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The launch of PTI Parliamentarians arrives at a time when the Khan-led PTI is encountering numerous challenges. The party’s chairman faces multiple legal cases and the possibility of disqualification. Additionally, several party members have distanced themselves from Khan after the events of May 9, when PTI workers instigated widespread unrest and attacked military installations.
Furthermore, former Khan associates have caused further fractures within the party, particularly in Punjab. Figures such as Jahangir Tareen, Aleem Khan, and other individuals closely associated with the PTI chief established the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party in June.
In response to recent events, Khattak publicly condemned the May 9 incidents, expressing support for severe punishment of the perpetrators, as both the government and the military remain determined to prosecute them in military courts.
“The survival of our party is directly tied to the survival of Pakistan itself. PTI’s influence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been completely eroded,” stated Khattak, a prominent figure in the province’s political landscape.
Khattak, who previously held key positions such as PTI’s secretary general and chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, resigned from the position of PTI KP president shortly after the May 9 turmoil. However, earlier this week, he was expelled from the party due to his failure to respond to a “show cause notice” issued to him.
Sources familiar with the matter revealed that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had also approached Khattak, inviting him to join their respective parties. Nevertheless, Khattak has chosen to establish his own political party instead of aligning with any existing party.
This development poses a significant setback for the PTI, which is striving to regain power and form a government in the upcoming general elections.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that his government’s term will conclude in mid-August, with plans to relinquish power earlier than their designated tenure.
(Islamabad51-Newsdesk)
