Annoyed over the inclusion of some Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) ‘elements’ in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has started reconsidering its plans to forge an alliance or entering into a seat adjustment formula with the Imran Khan-led party, as it believes that in presence of these people, ‘change’ in the country would remain a far distant dream.
Sources in the JI said that despite the fact that both the parties had agreed in principle to chalk out a strategy to move forward to strengthen the mutual relationship in context of the next general elections, but joining of a number of former PML-Q leaders in the PTI had led the party to rethink its decision. On being contacted, JI Spokesman Farid Paracha said that both the parties had even agreed on a working plan, which included proposals on seat adjustment and details about the alliance.
He said that both the sides had also developed a unanimous approach on Pak-US relations, interference of establishment in government affairs and masses’ problems but the party leadership was wary of inclusion of ‘rejected’ people in the PTI. “All the PML-Q has been renamed as PTI. If we have to work with these corrupt people, there is no need to get closer to the PTI,” he said. Paracha said that in presence of these rejected people, the JI could not move for a ‘change’ in the country.
When asked if the JI had formally conveyed its concerns to the PTI, Paracha said, “Not yet. We are discussing the issue at the party level but the party leadership was very upset over PML-Q leaders joining the PTI without any screening”. He said that under the circumstances, a JI-PML-Q alliance would give nothing but disappointment to the people. Paracha said that with ‘rejected’ people jumping onto the PTI bandwagon, the JI would be least interested in forging any alliance with the former. He said that the JI leadership would soon approach the PTI leadership to convey its decision on the issue.