Tareen’s new political ploy: Will Imran Khan be able to remain PM for 5-years?

Yesterday, a new debate on the political future of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was started after announcing parliamentary leaders in the National and Punjab Assemblies for the like-minded group of Jahangir Tareen.

Reports of a split in the ruling party surfaced after Tareen, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader and party’s former secretary-general and once one of the closest confidant of PM Imran, announced the parliamentary leaders of “his group”  in the Punjab and the National and assemblies.

The development emerged at a dinner hosted by Tareen at his house where, according to Raja Riaz, a member of the National Assembly from Faisalabad, four more members of the National Assembly (MNAs)  as several members of the provincial assembly had joined the group. This, Raja Riaz claimed, had brought the total potency of the group near to 42.

Raja said the group had named Niwani the group’s parliamentary leader in the Punjab Assembly and Raiz in the National Assembly. After the development, Prime Minister Imran Khan sought a report from the Punjab Chief Minister on Jahangir Tareen’s political ploy on how the like-minded group could appoint parliamentary leaders as the power to appoint a parliamentary leader in any assembly can be vested the party’s head. There are clearly two factions in the PTI, one with Jahangir Tareen and the other with Prime Minister Imran Khan.

PTI leaders express commitment to Imran Khan 

Soon after the development, several senior leaders of the ruling party have expressed their commitment to Imran Khan. After the news of ‘grouping’ within the party circulated, trends began to appear on different social media platforms supporting Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision.

Stalwart party leaders tweeted and issued statements after the development saying that there is no room in the party for those who do not restfulness confidence in Imran Khan, the founding member of PTI. The statement also clearly indicated that forming a forward bloc within the party.

Tareen dismisses forming a forward bloc

Jahangir Khan Tareen has dismissed the notion of forming a forward bloc in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and said he was still a part of the party. Speaking to media after appearing before a session court, the PTI stalwart said the like-minded group was formed three months. He ruled out an impression of forming a forward bloc to assert pressure on the government. The PTI leader said he had submitted a complete money trail to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Punjab govt taking revenge, Tareen

Tareen complained that his group is not being treated favorably by the Punjab government and demanded the provincial government stops politics of revenge against his supporters. The attitude of the Punjab government towards the group is inappropriate, he said, adding that that appointed a spokesperson for the group in the Punjab Assembly. Tareen said that they will retaliate if they are harassed by the Punjab government.

Sugar crisis-FIA probe

In 2019, a sugar inquiry commission — formed on the instructions of the PM Imran to investigate the rise in the price of the commodity — had disclosed names of various bigwigs, including Jahangir Tareen, who had allegedly benefitted from the crisis.

Later, Tareen quietly departed for London in June despite being a prime suspect in the sugar scam and arrived in Lahore on 6 November 2020 after spending several months in the United Kingdom.

His departure had prompted a backlash from the nation and opposition. Several political parties had raised questions over Tareen being permitted to leave and had accused PM Imran of pursuing selective accountability in the country.

In the meantime, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA had sought a reply from Tareen and had summoned him for a probe. At first, he had turned down the summons. Later, he requested FIA for more time to reply to its queries, adding that he would appear before the agency once he returned.

The federal agency has sought details of Tareen’s assets in Pakistan and abroad, his bank transactions especially the transfer of money abroad, bank accounts of his family members and his employees and sugar-related transactions of his firm JDW.

On March 31, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had filed two FIRs against Jahangir Tareen and two other family members in the sugar scandal and money laundering charges.

FIA Lahore registered cases against Jahangir Tareen, his son Ali Tareen and his son-in-law in the sugar scam. The agency said over three billion rupees money laundering made by showing investment in a closed factory.

Court hearings

Tareen and his son Ali appeared before Additional Sessions Judge Hamid Hussain earlier today, who was hearing their appeals for interim bail in cases pertaining to money laundering and Sugar fraud.

On this occasion, the court asked about the progress of the investigation against the accused from the Federal Investigation Agency. The Federal Investigation Agency Deputy Director told the judge that the investigation was underway and submitted a probe report. Later, the court instructed the FIA to complete the probe in the case at the earliest and extended the bail of Tareen until 31 May 2021.

Waiting for a miracle to avert disaster

Earlier, Tareen went abroad after his relationship hit a rough patch with Imran Khan and return to the country after seven months and now cases against him again caused a stir in the political ground.

Known for his shrewdness and sharp political expertise, in fact, Tareen is credited by his allies and foes both for helping Imran Khan for several years when there was hardly anyone else around to do the heavy lifting.

Besides a sound-thought-out approach, Tareen is openly demonstrating his growing influence within the party. When he had first done earlier, several Punjab and federal lawmakers had turned up in a court where he came out to seek an extension of his pre-arrest bail.

Now as the noose is squeezed around the neck of Tareen through the FIA, it will be quick to wrap up that he will remain satisfied with what he has publicly done so far. Tareen is expected to try to put greater heat on Imran Khan to back-pedal on the umpteen cases instituted against him.

He is not likely to amend his decision unless the proceedings on the criminal cases against him are totally wrapped up. , it will be hard for PM  Imran, who has built up his whole narrative on accountability, to take back without losing face.

It is only Imran Khan who can name a senior party leader enjoying his full support to talk to the ‘rebels’ and drag them back from their current flight. This is the only technique to get rid of the swelling threat and humiliation caused by Tareen’s poly. PM Imran, however, has not acted so far. Indeed, Punjab and federal governments are apparently powerlessly watching the situation unfurl as silent bystanders, waiting for some miracle to prevent disaster.