Tareen could profit from ‘Sharif-specific’ tweak in disqualification law

Only way for PTI sec-gen to retain post is to take advantage of controversial clause

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan may have felt relieved on evading a guilty verdict, but Jahangir Khan Tareen’s disqualification by the Supreme Court is likely to land the party in trouble.

Although the PTI is to yet to make a formal response to the issue, background discussions with senior PTI leaders suggested that the PTI chief believed that Tareen should continue as the party’s secretary-general.

But the only way this could happen is if PTI decides to take advantage of the controversial Clause 203 of the Election Act of 2017.

This is the same clause that allowed a disqualified person to become an office-bearer of a political party, ultimately paving the way for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to head the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N).

But this will have serious repercussions.

If PTI choses to tread this path, it would lose its moral standing.

Until the recent past, PTI not only opposed the same amendment but on several occasions, PTI chief Imran Khan termed it ‘unconstitutional’ ‘person-specific’ and ‘shameful’ amendment.

According to him, PML-N was just trying to protect Nawaz Sharif’s interests.



Incidentally, PTI had also challenged the Election Act for the same reason in the Supreme Court and other constitutional forums.

This dilemma will not end here.

Just to save Tareen’s political career, PTI will have no other option but to support, overtly or covertly, an expected amendment to Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution the government intends to introduce to set a time limit for the disqualification.

This will benefit both Nawaz Sharif and Jahangir Tareen.

Is the PTI ready to take a U-turn on its stance on Clause 203 of the Election Act of 2017? Or will the PTI take a bold stand and ask Tareen to resign from his position to save party from a major embarrassment?

All these options will be discussed during a meeting scheduled to be held in Bani Gala on Saturday (today) when Imran Khan, who is currently in Karachi, is expected to be back in Islamabad.

When veteran PTI leader Asad Umar was asked if Tareen would continue on his party post, he said, it was too early to comment on the issue but the law [referring to Clause 203 of the Election Act] was “pretty much clear about a disqualified person holding party office”.

Umar, who is accompanying PTI chief during his Karachi visit, told The Express Tribune that Imran Khan was ‘disappointed’ after hearing the news of Tareen’s disqualification.

PTI’s spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry told The Express Tribune that Tareen would continue as the party’s secretary-general “at least until a decision by the Supreme Court on a review petition PTI intends to file against the court’s verdict”.

“He will continue (on his party post) until the decision on this review petition,” Chaudhry said.

Another PTI leader, Faisal Javed, said that there was no doubt in his mind that Tareen would continue as the party’s secretary-general, adding Rai Hassan Nawaz, who also faced disqualification in the past, was still serving as the president of PTI’s West Punjab region.

Currently, Jahangir Khan Tareen is not only responsible for the party’s overall organization but also heading a legal team pursuing high-profile cases in various courts, including the Supreme Court and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). He is also leading a team finalising the award of party tickets to prospective candidates.



Above everything else, he is one of the party’s main financiers and because of this he is sarcastically dubbed the party’s ATM by political rivals. Khan flies across Pakistan using Tareen’s private jet while his generous contributions to party fund is not a secret.

“Financing party is one of the several other aspects. There are several other individuals who generously contribute to party funds and undoubtedly Tareen offers more than his due,” Asad Umar said.

Umar said over the past four years, Tareen’s political contributions to PTI were “second to just Imran Khan”.

But several senior PTI leaders from Punjab were apparently happy over Tareen’s disqualification.

One such leader reminded that Imran Khan had said that he would quit politics if the Supreme Court disqualified him, saying: “Will the same rule not apply on Jahangir Tareen?”

Stressing the need for Tareen to immediately resign, he said that he should not force the party to take an unpopular stance that would discredit PTI.

He even named some senior PTI leaders, including Asad Umar, who could be appointed as the party’s secretary-general, adding that several such names were being discussed at the highest level.