Buzdar loses support of PTI central leadership: Sources

LAHORE: Several senior leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have endorsed the notion of removing the incumbent Chief Minister of Punjab province Sardar Usman Buzdar.

Key federal ministers including Pervez Khattak and Asad Umar, as well as Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar, have thrown their support behind the proposal, sources privy to the matter told BOL News.

The sources further added that Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry is the strongest exponent of sacking CM Buzdar.

According to sources, the federal ministers will convey their views to the Prime Minister during the consultation with the leadership today.

Prime Minister will decide on the next course of action after reviewing the entire political situation.

Aleem Khan is a strong contender for the Chief Minister Punjab, said the sources.

The central leadership of PTI has suggested to the Prime Minister to work with Aleem Khan and the Tareen faction.

Read more: PML-N offers Punjab chief ministership to Aleem Khan: sources

Earlier, a group of PTI lawmakers led by Abdul Aleem Khan, a former Punjab minister, has joined the group of PTI estranged leader Jahangir Khan Tareen, commonly known as JKT.

The decision was announced during a presser after the lawmakers from both groups met at Tareen’s Lahore residence on Monday.

This is a major blow for the PTI government as the opposition is vying to gain numbers to make another no-trust move attempt against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan successful.

Read more: Reservations of JKT group, Aleem Khan will be addressed within 24 hours: Governor Sindh

Aleem regretted that Tareen was completely ignored after PTI won the elections [in 2018] while praising the efforts he had put into the party. He stated that all estranged members of the party have amalgamated now under Tareen’s leadership.

He expressed concerns about the way the government is being run in Punjab, the most populated province. He claimed that more than 40 MPAs of Punjab, with whom he had met, expressed similar concerns.

Aleem said his pain is not personal and clarified that he doesn’t want to become the chief minister.

Read more: Fawad Chaudhry dispels notion of any rift within PTI

PTI leaders said they had not felt bad about getting ignored if the party had met the expectations of the people.

Aleem said, “Politics is the name of adding up the number of friends. It is the name of standing by friends during hard times.”

JKT group is reported to have the support of 30 PTI MPAs from Punjab as well as eight MNAs. With the inclusion of the Aleem Khan group, the strength of antagonized groups in the ruling party has beefed up, particularly at a time when the opposition is busy picking the pieces of the puzzle to complete numbers for a no-trust motion against the premier.