Tareen says his party did not accept Zardari’s invitation to Iftar because of his anti-army tirade
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Jehangir Tareen has said that government is trying to mislead the nation over Form 15 issue, adding that the copies of Form 15 supplied by 11 Returning Officers (ROs) are “suspicious” and the enquiry commission will complete its tasks by July 3rd or 4th.
Addressing the media persons at his residence on Saturday, Tareen said the National Action Plan (NAP) was made after national consensus, adding that the apex committees are its parts that are working as per their mandates.
Moreover, contrary to PTI’s stance that they had not been extended an invitation to join the Iftar dinner organised by Asif Ali Zardari, Tareen clarified that the party avoided participation to register protest against the PPP co-chairman’s ‘anti-establishment’ speech.
In a statement, he said, “I had received the telephone call from Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) but we decided, after consultation, not to attend the dinner due to Zardari’s attack on the army,” Tareen said.
Earlier, another prominent figure of the party Shah Mehmood Qureshi had told the media they had not received an invitation from PPP for the dinner.
He stressed that the army was fighting war against terrorism and no one should make such statements. “Zardari should withdraw his statement,” he said adding, “democracy does not mean looting and we condemn it whether it is by the PPP or Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.”
Moreover, Tareen reiterated that PTI does not accept the results of Gilgit-Baltistan elections due to “massive rigging” by PML-N.
To substantiate his point, he cited the example of Skardu where PTI had won elections with a margin of 200 votes but a recounting was carried out in violation of rules, adding that a fourth recounting resulted in the favour of a PML-N candidate by one vote.
Tareen chosen not to comment on the reports of a rift with Justice (retd) Wajihuddin Ahmed, but said Ahmed was made head of the tribunal to hear complaints of intra-party elections. “The tribunal’s job had been done and Ahmed was now issuing personal decisions.”
