JI decides to break away from coalition govt in KP

PESHAWAR: The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) leadership has decided to part ways and dissociate itself with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led coalition government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in the coming few days.

Talking to journalists at JI KP headquarter Al-Markaz Islami on Wednesday, party’s provincial chief, Senator Mushtaq Ahmad said that leaders of both the coalition partners have agreed on parting ways in a peaceful and friendly manner.

“There is a possibility of announcing an end to the coalition in a joint press conference,” Mushtaq Ahmad Khan remarked.

The senator, along with party’s two ministers Inayatullah Khan and Muzaffar Said late on Tuesday night met Chief Minister Pervez Khattak to settle the differences and discuss horse-trading in the Senate elections.

Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan also said that almost matters pertaining to the restoration of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) had been resolved and a formal announcement would be made in a meeting scheduled to be held on April 27. He added that it could be hard for JI to remain as a coalition partner after the restoration of MMA.

“On such grounds, the JI leaders informed the chief minister of party’s disassociation from the coalition government,” he added.

Mushtaq further said that the JI remained in PTI-led coalition since May 2013 and relations between the two sides remained very cordial. Therefore, they were determined to help the PTI government at any crucial stage.

He made it clear that JI would support the chief minister not only in the no-trust motion against him in the KP Assembly but also in the passage of budgetary estimates for the coming financial year.

The JI senator was, however, reluctant to clarify his party’s stance in case the opposition goes for unseating the speaker of his office and election of new deputy speaker.

The office of the deputy speaker is vacant since the election of Dr Meher Taj Roghani as a member of Senate on March 3.