Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said Saturday that the Supreme Court (SC) did not find out any financial wrongdoing against PTI leader Jehangir Tareen, adding that he was disqualified over “interpretation of trust deed”.
On Friday, the SC issued a judgement that stated that Tareen was not honest and disqualified him for life per provisions of Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution. The order also mentioned that the PTI leader had used vague terms in his statements to the court while also failing to declare his offshore company.
The PTI chief said that Tareen’s case was different from that of the deposed premier Nawaz Sharif as the latter was found guilty of corruption, money laundering, tax evasion and concealment of assets.
Showering praise on the services rendered by Tareen for the party, Imran Khan said that the PTI leader showed a strong commitment to the cause of ‘Naya Pakistan’.
“For me it doesn’t matter whether you [Tareen] hold a position in PTI or are in Parliament, you will always remain right next to me as we build Naya Pakistan InshaAllah,” Imran Khan said in a tweet on Saturday.
JKT you have shown unswerving commitment to the cause of Naya Pakistan & worked with utmost dedication for our cause. For me it doesn’t matter whether you hold a position in PTI or are in Parliament, you will always remain right next to me as we build Naya Pakistan InshaAllah.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 16, 2017
Earlier in the day, Tareen formally resigned from the post of PTI secretary general after holding a meeting with Imran Khan.
SUPPORT FROM PTI LEADERS:
PTI leaders, during the core committee meeting on Friday, unanimously declared support for Tareen’s review petition after his disqualification from office by the Supreme Court.
The party leaders also decided to wait for the SC’s final decision on Tareen’s review petition, until which the secretary general seat would be left vacant. They were all-praise for Tareen’s decision to tender his resignation on principled grounds.
On the occasion, the PTI constituted a core committee under Shah Mehmood Qureishi to devise a future strategy in the Hudaibiya Paper Mills case which was dismissed by the SC.
Earlier on Friday, Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar had disqualified Tareen but allowed Imran to walk free from corruption charges and maintain his political standing.