Humayun Akhtar leaves PTI to join Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party
This happened more than six months after he left the PTI because he wasn't happy with how things were handled after the May 9 riots
LAHORE: Former leader of the Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) and federal minister Humayun Akhtar Khan officially joined the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) and became its senior vice president. This happened more than six months after he left the PTI because he wasn’t happy with how things were handled after the May 9 riots.
So, in June, Humayun left the PTI, just like many other leaders did, following the May 9 vandalism and violent protests all over the country. This happened right after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested Imran Khan, the former PTI chairman, in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case.
During a press conference in Lahore, Humayun talked about his worries regarding the May 9 events and said that those responsible should be held accountable. He stressed that the courts should punish those who were guilty of violence, and the innocent people should be set free.
Humayun gave credit to the IPP for playing a big role in creating the PTI and helping it win the 2018 elections when many young people were supporting it. But he was disappointed because, according to him, the PTI didn’t meet the expectations of the frustrated youth.
Humayun mentioned that the IPP leaders understood the problems in the country and knew how to solve them. Jahangir Tareen, the founder of IPP, announced that Humayun would be the senior vice president of the party. Tareen also said that the PTI’s popularity had gone down after the May 9 events and supported the Supreme Court’s decision to suspend the Lahore High Court’s order.
Tareen suggested holding the next general elections on February 8 and talked about the importance of having a stable political situation in the country. Aleem, another leader in the IPP, welcomed Humayun to the party, saying it would make the party and the country stronger.
Regarding talks with the PML-N, Aleem clarified that there was no alliance yet. He assured everyone that the IPP respected all individuals and promised not to get involved in politics that use the names of the deceased, hinting at the PPP.
Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, another leader in IPP, talked about how alliances and rivalries in politics can change. She said that when talking about unity, it’s crucial to focus on people’s rights. The IPP, created by Tareen earlier this year, has become the preferred party for PTI members who left, including Aleem, Dr Firdous, Imran Ismail, Ali Zaidi, Farrukh Habib, Amir Mehmood Kayani, Andleeb Abbas, Fayyazul Hasan Chohan, and Ali Nawaz Awan.
