ISLAMABAD: As per the instructions of jailed PTI founding chairman Imran Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday announced to form a coalition in Centre and Punjab with the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) and with Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Speaking at a presser, PTI central information secretary Raoof Hasan said that “on the directives of party founding chairman Imran Khan, PTI will join hands with Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) to form its governments in Centre and Punjab, and Jamaat-e-Islami in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa”.
He said that the former prime minister while ruling out the prospects of any talks with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), has directed the party to form a coalition with Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over reserved seats.
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“Those who have emerged victorious in February 8 elections, should be allowed to form the government as it is their right to do so,” said Hasan while conveying Imran Khan’s message.
“I have been given the mandate by Imran Khan to approach all political parties to continue the party’s political struggle for democratic values with the exception of the PML-N, MQM-P, and the PPP,” he added.
Other decisions ratified by the party founder include the nomination of Ali Amin Gandapur as the chief minister for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the holding of intra-party elections and the appointment of Amir Dogar as the party’s chief whip in the National Assembly, Hasan added.
His remarks come as PTI-backed independent candidates have emerged as the largest group by winning 93 National Assembly seats followed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) with 75 and 54 seats, respectively.
In light of the fact that no party managed to succeed in securing a simple majority, the role of independent candidates has become even more important with both the PML-N and the PPP attempting to rope them in to strengthen their parliamentary positions.
The PTI’s decision to join hands with the MWM — which has only secured one National Assembly seat — comes as its sponsored candidates, will have 72 hours to join a party once the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) notifies their win.
In Punjab, the party would need to join hands with independent candidates and other parties to form the government in the largest province where currently the PML-N is in the lead with 137 seats.
Meanwhile, the move to join hands with the JI is primarily aimed at securing the quota for reserved seats — since the party lost its election symbol “bat” forcing its candidates to contest in an independent capacity — which is awarded concerning the seats secured by each party.
Hasan also demanded that the public mandate must be respected as it was a pre-requisite for the survival and strength of the state and the PTI founding chairman must be released instantly since he was the only leader who could pull the country out of the prevailing quagmire of problems.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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