Usman Buzdar is our CM, says leader of Tareen group in Punjab

LAHORE: Parliamentary Leader of Jahangir Tareen’s like-minded group in Punjab Assembly Saeed Akbar Nawani on Friday extended support to Usman Buzdar, saying that he was their chief minister, days after criticizing him, ARY NEWS reported.

Speaking ahead of the Punjab Assembly session, Saeed Akbar Nawani said that they would not sit on separate benches in the provincial assembly. “We have not made any demand to sit on separate benches,” he said adding that they would resolve issues within the party.

Another leader of the group Nazir Chohan said that they would meet Chief Minister Usman Buzdar today and convey their reservations regarding his performance to him. “The meeting is aimed at bringing improvement in the affairs of the province,” he said.

On Thursday, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government and Jahangir Tareen group reached an agreement after senior ministers contacted the disgruntled leader of the ruling party Jahangir Khan Tareen.

They revealed the group would not boycott the upcoming budget 2021-22 session and vote for the federal government. The estranged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader’s grievances concerning the Punjab government would be addressed, they said.

The sources quoted Jahangir Khan Tareen as demanding that members of his like-minded group should not be subjected to vindictive tactics. The government and the group members are likely to meet soon, they said.

The rift between Tareen and the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) widened after the former announced his group’s parliamentary leaders in the National and Punjab assemblies on Wednesday.

Talking to the media, Awn Chaudhry and Muhammad Salman Naeem said that the group has appointed MNA Raja Raiz Ahmad as its parliamentary leader in the National Assembly and Saeed Akbar Khan Nawani in the Punjab Assembly.

The group was named “Jahangir Tareen like-minded group,” the sources added.