PML-N throws bait: PTI claims rejecting Amir Muqam’s joining terms

Imran’s party claims PML-Q stalwart demanded a ‘certain’ position for joining.

PESHAWAR:

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) claimed on Thursday that it had rejected preconditions set by Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s (PML-Q) president of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) chapter, Amir Muqam, to join PTI ranks. The PML-Q stalwart himself claimed to be ‘shocked’ by the PTI statement, saying he had never set any preconditions in the first place.

According to a press release issued by the PTI on Thursday, the party’s provincial president Asad Qaiser had rejected conditions set by Amir Muqam to join the party. However, the statement went on to add that Muqam was still in touch with the PTI.

Interestingly, a senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader claimed that Muqam had refused to join PTI and will instead soon be joining PML-N along with his supporters.

When asked about the puzzling fate of Muqam, PTI spokesperson Shah Farman confirmed that Muqam had been demanding a ‘certain’ position in the party and since PTI’s party policy was very clear in not accepting any preconditions for joining, the two parties failed to reach a decision on the matter.

“Anyone desirous of joining the party cannot come with a set of conditions,” Farman told The Express Tribune, adding that Muqam was demanding a certain position within the party. However, Farman refused to say what position the PML-Q leader was demanding.

Muqam’s version

When approached, Muqam denied the allegation that he had set conditions for joining the  PTI.

“I do not know about this statement and heard about it from the media, I contacted some PTI people, who also expressed their ignorance,” he said.

He went on to add that he had been invited to join PTI by some of its leaders, namely Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Jehangir Tareen, Javed Hashmi and Sarwar Khan, and that he was in consultation with supporters and friends about the possible move.

“We did not make any demand,” Muqam emphasised, adding that he was shocked to learn that Imran’s party has issued such a statement.

When asked why he was leaving the PML-Q, Muqam said that he was still the party’s president and had strengthened the party in K-P, adding that in politics one should have an open mind.

“Leaving a party is another thing and thinking about it is another,” he said.

PML-N contacts

When asked about a possible move to the PML-N, Muqam claimed that he had also been invited by the PML-N leadership to join the party.

“We are in contact with them and will decide in due course after consultation with supporters,” he said.

In yet another twist to the never-ending speculation, PML-N provincial general secretary Rehmat Salam Khattak told The Express Tribune that Muqam had refused to join the PTI and the statement by the party was just a consequence of the fallout between the two.

Khattak added that the PML-N was in contact with Muqam and that he was hopeful of him joining the party. He claimed that Muqam had also demanded the post of PML-N’s provincial president in order to join the party; however, the PML-N had refused the demand.

“If it wasn’t for this, he would have joined PML-N months ago,” Khattak said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 16^th, 2012.