Tareen rejects rumours of meeting with Gilani

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader affirms support to party

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Jahangir Tareen on Monday affirmed his support to the party and rejected rumours of meeting or contacting Pakistan Peoples Party leader Yousuf Raza Gilani.

“I have always strived for the PTI with my heart and soul and my support is always for the party,” said Tareen who had been disqualified by the Supreme Court from holding public office for life.

Gilani was nominated as the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s — 11-party alliance of the opposition —joint candidate for a general seat from Islamabad for the upcoming Senate polls on March 3, while his opponent on the seat was PTI’s candidate and Federal Minister for Finance Abdul Hafeez Shaikh.

The rumours were being circulated that Gilani met with Tareen and urged the PTI leader to support him for the Senate seat.

Last year, a gulf between Tareen and Prime Minister Imran Khan widened after the PTI leader’s name surfaced in the sugar scandal. However, he blamed principal secretary of the premier for the differences between the two leaders — who had been longtime friends and confidants.

While the Federal Investigation Agency’s inquiry report on the sugar scandal was underway in June 2020, Tareen left for the United Kingdom by a special aircraft, but he returned after five months.

At present, Tareen maintained a distance from the prime minister and other leaders of the ruling party. However, the rumours were circulating that the PTI leader was in contact with the premier through social media and provided him suggestions on economic affairs.