‘My loyalty is being tested’: Tareen denies leaving PTI

LAHORE: Estranged PTI leader Jahangir Tareen denied he has any intentions of meeting PPP President Asif Ali Zardari and insisted that he is not parting way with the PTI.

Speaking to the media after arriving at the banking court for his bail hearing, Tareen said his loyalty to Prime Minister Imran Khan was being tested but that he is not parting ways with the party.

He said three FIRs have been registered against me, adding he was being subjected to “revenge” while there were eight sugar mills in the country.  He added that an inquiry against him, relating to the sugar crisis, has been going on since last year.

He lamented that his accounts as well as those belonging to his son, Ali Tareen, had been frozen. “Why have my accounts been frozen? Who is doing this? Who benefits from this?” he asked.

Tareen said he was “asking for justice from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf”, adding that he was a friend, but is being “pushed towards enmity”. He said it was time to expose those involved in a conspiracy against him. He said PM Imran Khan can expose the person who was on exacting revenge against him.

Despite his grievances against the ruling party, Tareen said he was not parting ways with the PTI. “I am a member of the PTI and will remain so,” he said. When asked Tareen whether he was about to meet former president and PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari, he said the reports were not true.

Earlier Sindh Minister for Women Development Shehhla Raza deleted a tweet in which she hinted on the possibility of Tareen joining PPP during a meeting “next week” with Zardari in Karachi. She claimed Tareen had already met PPP’s Makhdoom Ahmed Mahmood, and “it is believed he will meet Zardari” in Karachi.

“It is believed he will leave PTI and join PPP along with his aides during the meeting,” she had tweeted.  “If such a thing happens, neither will Buzdar [remain in the government], nor will Niazi,” she added.

Responding to Raza’s statement, Tareen had said a “consistent propaganda” campaign is in place against him. “The reports of my meeting with PPP leaders are baseless. People spreading rumours against me will be disappointed,” he added.

The development comes after the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) sent notices to Tareen and his son, Ali Tareen, summoning them to appear on April 9. It was reported that FIA Lahore had registered a case of alleged fraud worth Rs3.14 billion on March 22