Imran says will keep Tareen ‘right next’ to him despite disqualification

PTI chairman defends his close aide's 'innocence' on Twitter

A day after the Supreme Court disqualified former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) secretary general Jahangir Tareen for being ‘dishonest’, party chief Imran Khan has said he will keep the PTI leader "right next to" him.

“For me it doesn't matter whether you [Tareen] hold a position in PTI or are in Parliament, you will always remain right next to me as we build Naya Pakistan InshaAllah,” Imran tweeted on Saturday.

JKT you have shown unswerving commitment to the cause of Naya Pakistan & worked with utmost dedication for our cause. For me it doesn't matter whether you hold a position in PTI or are in Parliament, you will always remain right next to me as we build Naya Pakistan InshaAllah.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 16, 2017

Earlier in the day, Tareen resigned as the party’s general secretary after a meeting with the PTI chairman. In his resignation letter, Tareen said it is inappropriate to hold public office after the apex court verdict.

Despite earlier assurances of accepting the apex court’s verdict in letter and spirit, Imran said the former PTI secretary general was disqualified only on interpretation of trust deed and no financial wrongdoing was found against him.

If Jahangir Tareen is found guilty, he will be kicked out of the party: Imran Khan on 18-11-2017 in @TTPwMAK pic.twitter.com/AezP1FSnUO

— Mansoor Ali Khan (@_Mansoor_Ali) December 15, 2017

Diff between JKT & NS is stark in JKT's principled position & NS holding on to party office. Also unlike NS who is guilty of corruption, money laundering, tax evasion, concealment of assets; no financial wrongdoing found ag JKT - disqualified only on interpretation of Trust deed.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 16, 2017

However, the apex court had termed Tareen ‘not an honest person’ and declared him ineligible for holding public office under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution.



He was convicted for deliberately giving a false statement before the higher judiciary to conceal the ownership of the £5 million worth property in the UK.

On the contrary, Imran was declared ‘honest’ for not concealing facts as the top court accepted his stance over the purchase of Bani Gala estate after the sale of his London flat.