Aleem may not join forces with Tareen

Estranged PTI leader Aleem Khan has decided against joining another faction consisting of disgruntled members of the ruling party, known as the Jahangir Khan Tareen group, The Express Tribune learnt on Saturday.

Sources privy to the development said that Aleem and members of the Tareen group, during a meeting held earlier this week in Lahore, failed to agree on a joint political strategy against the party leadership.

Aleem decided to pursue a different political strategy after differences between the two groups could not be sorted out due to the “hardline stance” adopted against him by some members of the Tareen group.

Sources said that during the meeting, Aleem also expressed displeasure over “inappropriate attitude” of the Tareen group members and even rejected the apology by Aun Chaudhry on behalf of the disgruntled members.

Aleem, the former Punjab senior minister, along with a group of like-minded parliamentarians, announced on Monday that he would be joining the estranged faction of the ruling party led by Jahangir Khan Tareen.
He made the announcement at Tareen’s residence in Lahore after an important meeting of the group was held to discuss the no-trust motion announced by the joint opposition.

Speaking to the media, Aleem said that he had contacted over 40 parliamentarians of the ruling party during the last four days. “We all have teamed up in the last bid to strengthen the party. The PTI did not belong to an individual but to all of us. We will jointly make all decisions regarding the no-trust motion,” he said.

The Express Tribune learnt on Friday that Aleem held a meeting with former premier Nawaz Sharif in London and discussed the political situation of the country.

Also read: Aleem airs Punjab-related grievances with Nawaz

Insiders said the two leaders of rival political parties held consultations on the prevailing political situation in the country, including the no-confidence motion during the meeting that lasted for at least a couple of hours.

Aleem, who resigned as the senior Punjab minister in November last year, informed the PML-N chief about “bad governance” in Punjab, expressing reservations over Chief Minister Usman Buzdar’s ability to govern the country’s biggest province.

The three-time prime minister appreciated the role of Aleem as a political leader during the meeting, sources said, adding that Aleem would not formally join the PML-N and would lead a like-minded group of parliamentarians within the PTI.

It was further said that Aleem had refused to meet Tareen, who is also in London, reportedly, for medical treatment.

The former senior minister pointed out that Tareen had played an active role in bringing PTI to power, adding that he was ignored by the party for unknown reasons.