JI turns down PTI’s offer of coalition govt in KP

ISLAMABAD: The Jamat-e-Islami (JI) on Wednesday declined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) offer to form a coalition government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), ARY News reported.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), JI’s Central Naib Ameer Liaqat Baloch said following the February 8 elections, the PTI contacted JI seeking a common strategy for government formation.

جماعت اسلامی کے مرکزی نائب امیر لیاقت بلوچ نے مرکزی مشاورت اور میڈیا سے گفتگو کرتے ہوئے کہا کہ 8 فروری 2024ء کے انتخابات کے بعد پاکستان تحریک انصاف کے قائدین نے جماعت اسلامی سے رابطہ کیا کہ جماعت اسلامی اور تحریک انصاف نئی صورتحال میں مشترکہ حکمت عملی پر اتفاق کرے۔ اس کے فوری بعد… pic.twitter.com/ncs0cXbfGz

— Jamaat e Islami Pakistan (@JIPOfficial) February 14, 2024

It added that the JI chief immediately consulted with the central leadership, and officials and established a committee consisting of party’s KP chief Prof Muhammad Ibrahim and Deputy Amir Inayatullah Khan under the leadership of Liaquat Baloch.

The statement added that the party informed the PTI of their concerns over the elections, stating that deliberately changing the poll results was a disgrace which would harm the country and democracy.

The party further said that it welcomes PTI-backed candidates who emerged victorious in the polls and offers them constitutional and parliamentary security and respect for the public’s mandate at this difficult time for the party.

“The PTI welcomed this but in the last stage conveyed the message that they only wanted a coalition for the government in KP,” the JI leader said.

“JI has decided that coalition with PTI at the national level would be in the national interest, but if the PTI has changed its position, then they can settle their affairs with whoever they want in KP,” Baloch added.

Uncertainty looms over Pakistan’s political future as none of the major political parties – PML-N, PPP or the PTI-backed independent candidates – secured a simple majority in the National Assembly in the February 8 general elections.

Political stakeholders were making efforts to forge alliances and secure 169 seats in the 336-member lower house of parliament.

PTI-backed Independent candidates consolidated their lead in the general elections 2024 over mainstream political parties, especially in the National and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assemblies, throughout the result announcement process.

Read More: Elections 2024 Pakistan results: PTI-backed IND candidates lead in NA

According to the results announced so far, independent candidates have managed to win 101 seats. It is worth mentioning that out of these 101 independent candidates, 92 are supported by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf while nine are general independent candidates.

PML-N is in the second position with 75 seats, while the PPP has won 54 seats. The MQM-P won in 17 constituencies, JUI-F in four, PML-Q in three, while IPP and BNP won two seats each.

It is pertinent to mention here that PTI founder Imran Khan brushed off the possibility of forming a coalition government with PPP, PML-N or Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P).

PTI claimed to join hands with Majlis-e-Wahdat-Muslimeen (MWM) to form its governments in Centre and Punjab, upon the direction of its founder.