Pakistan (Commonwealth Union)_ According to media sources, Pervez Khattak, the former aide of ex-prime minister Imran Khan, has established a new political party called Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Parliamentarians. This development comes shortly after Khattak was expelled from the PTI. Among the 57 former assembly members who have joined the new party are Mahmood Khan, the former chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as well as former lawmakers Shaukat Ali and Syed Muhammad Ishtiaq Urmar.
This development comes at a time when Imran Khan’s PTI is facing significant challenges. Khan himself is entangled in multiple legal cases and faces the threat of disqualification. Further, several party leaders have abandoned him since the events of May 9, when PTI workers caused widespread unrest and attacked military installations across the country. The formation of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party in June by former Khan aides Jahangir Tareen, Aleem Khan, and other close associates has also weakened the PTI’s position in Punjab.
Pervez Khattak, who holds a prominent position in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s political landscape, expressed his condemnation of the May 9 incidents. The government and the army are determined to hold the suspects accountable for their actions, with severe punishments expected. Khattak also stated that the PTI’s influence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been completely diminished and emphasized the strong connection between the party’s existence and the well-being of Pakistan. He said, “Our existence is directly linked to that of Pakistan. PTI is now completely finished in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa”.
Khattak, who previously served as the PTI’s secretary general and chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, resigned as the PTI KP president shortly after the May 9 chaos. However, the party dismissed him recently due to his failure to respond to a “show cause notice” issued to him. Sources indicate that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have approached Khattak, urging him to join their respective parties. Nevertheless, Khattak has made the decision to establish his own political party rather than aligning with any other existing party.
This move poses a significant setback for the PTI, as it strives to regain power and establish a government in the forthcoming general election. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stated that his government’s term will conclude in mid-August, and they plan to step down before their designated tenure comes to an end.
