Umar says he only occasionally talks to Fawad Chaudhry, while Qaiser insists he is “still in PTI,” but both men maintain they are “not in touch” with Tareen.
In separate interviews with journalists on Monday, ISLAMABAD’s former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) secretary general Asad Umar and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser put to rest rumors of contacts with the PTI chief and other current and former senior leaders of the party.
Umar told reporters outside an Islamabad sessions court that he has lost communication with disgraced party leader Jahangir Tareen but that he still keeps in touch with Fawad Chaudhry.
I haven’t been in touch with Jahangir Tareen in a long time, he remarked. I “occasionally” get in touch with Fawad Chaudhry, as stated.
Shortly after his release from Adiala Jail, Umar declared that he would be resigning from all party positions.
It’s impossible for me to serve as party leader right now. While addressing the press, he announced his resignation as secretary general and core committee member of the PTI.
Umar had explained that he had just resigned from his position as secretary general of PTI in response to an inquiry.
Several others, including a key party figure named Fawad Chaudhry, have also quit the party since May 9.
It has been claimed that several deserters have made contact with Tareen, the leader’s unhappy follower who has recently resumed his activities.
Reportedly, two ex-PTI top leaders, Fawad Chaudhry and Shaukat Tarin, have contacted Tareen to discuss potentially joining his new political organization.
Umar’s unabashed admission outside the court today that the PTI had been in touch with Fawad has only added to the rumors.
Umar’s response to a journalist who questioned if Tareen planned to return to the PTI suggested the two men did not have “a relationship.”
Umar said he had “no idea” which side Faisal Vawda was on when asked about the former PTI leader who has turned his back on the party and joined political opponents in criticizing the party for its anti-amy stance.
The PTI stalwart was less reticent than usual in expressing his annoyance at having to keep showing up in court.
He claimed, “There is no pressure on me, aside from having to show up in court every day,” adding, “I think it has been over a week since I was released from Adiala [jail], but have appeared in different courts over eight different times.”
In a complaint filed against him at the Tarnol police station on May 9, Umar was granted a bail extension till June 10 at the local court today.
During the hearing, the assistant prosecutor informed Additional Sessions Judge Tahir Abbas Supra that the prosecutor’s mother had recently passed away.
We both know there’s nothing to this case,” Umar countered. There is no proof [of the charges] and I am the only individual whose statements about May 9 and 10 are on record.
Umar’s attorney stated, “I’d rather wrap up my arguments today.”
The judge, however, decided it was in everyone’s best interest to postpone the hearing until June 10 and extended Umar’s bail without actually having the hearing.
“PTI is serious about communication”
While this was going on, Asad Qaiser, a prominent PTI politician and the former speaker of the National Assembly, acknowledged to the media that he is in communication with the party leadership and that the PTI is indeed serious about negotiations.
Qaiser questioned how negotiations could take place in the current situation in the country after being asked about Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah’s recent statement in which he said that the deposed prime minister must call incumbent Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directly if he truly desires a dialogue.
Qaiser questioned, “Given the current state of affairs, how can a dialogue take place?” Qaiser stated he had not been in touch with Jehangir Tareen in response to another query.
In response to further questions about possible poaching of PTI members by former information minister Fawad Chaudhry, who resigned from the party last month, he stated, “I am in PTI only.”
Qaiser told reporters outside an Islamabad district and sessions court that he was there for four cases.
