Tareen and Khattak leave politics, and Siraj resigns as head of JI
Uncertainty persisted on Monday, days after the nation’s elections, following the shocking announcements of three prominent political figures: Sirajul Haq of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Pervez Khattak, the Central Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarians (PTI-P), and Jahangir Khan Tareen, the head of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP).
Along with Siraj, Tareen and Khattak made the decision to “step away from politics altogether” after the party suffered a severe defeat in the national polls held on February 8.
Tareen wished to express his gratitude to all of his supporters in an X post, while also congratulating his rivals on their electoral successes.
He did, however, add that he was standing down because he had “immense respect for the will of the people of Pakistan”.
I would like to thank everyone who supported me in this election and want to offer my congratulations to my opponents. I have immense respect for the will of the people of Pakistan. Therefore, I have decided to resign from my position as Chairman IPP and step away from politics…
— Jahangir Khan Tareen (@JahangirKTareen) February 12, 2024
In a similar vein, the recently established IPP, which primarily consists of former PTI leaders, only succeeded in winning two seats in the National Assembly and one from the Punjab Assembly.
Pervez Khattak, the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf splinter faction, PTI-Parliamentarians, has also resigned from his party post, citing his intention to “take a break” from politics for the time being.
The event occurs at a time when his party’s failure to win even a single seat has effectively eliminated it from Pakistan’s political landscape.
During his campaign trail, Khattak had boldly said that he would become the next chief minister of K-P and that the independents supported by the PTI would join him once he won.
محنت اور کوشش کے باوجود کامیابی نہین دلا سکا، الیکشن میں شکست کی ذمہ داری قبول کرتے ہوئے جماعت اسلامی کی امارت سے استعفی دے دیا ہے۔
— Siraj ul Haq (@SirajOfficial) February 12, 2024
The party only managed to win three seats in the Sindh and Balochistan assemblies—one of which was taken up by JI Karachi president Hafiz Naeemur Rehman earlier today—and failed to win any seats in the National Assembly, which is why the Jamaat chief tendered his resignation.
Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rahman, the leader of JI Karachi, declared that he is giving up his position in the PS-129 Sindh Assembly in favor of the candidate supported by the PTI.
With 26,296 votes, Naeem won PS-129 Karachi Central VIII, while Saif Bari, an independent supported by the PTI, received 11,357 votes.
Saif Bari, the PTI-backed candidate, received 11,357 votes, according to Naeem, who said at a news conference that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had tampered with the results.
Naeem declared, “I give up this seat,” and continued, “Independent candidate Saif Bari won in a genuine manner, with 11,000 of his 31,000 votes being reduced to 11,000.”
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja is facing immediate resignation, according to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which has accused him of violating the constitution and the law and of being complicit in “poll fraud.”
The PTI additionally emphasized that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) members have to submit their resignations in addition to CEC Raja resigning.
It said that they conspired to deprive candidates supported by the PTI of the mandate that the electorate had granted them in the general elections on February 8, which were clouded by several claims of voter fraud
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