PTI: Party within a party?

A rift between the pro-Tareen faction within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is creating issues for the ruling party.

On July 24, Lahore police lodged a first information report (FIR) against PTI’s MPA in Punjab, Nazir Chohan. He is a prominent member of the disgruntled Jahangir Khan Tareen (JKT) group. The FIR against Chohan was registered at the request of Adviser to the Prime Minister Imran Khan on Interior and Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar.

Bail was granted to Nazir Chohan on July 27 after police arrested him from Johar Town area in Lahore.

A statement issued by JKT spokesperson said that the group members wouldn’t be scared by such tactics.

“An individual present in Islamabad is using the institutions for personal interests but we will not let anyone achieve their ill-intentions,” said the spokesperson on JKT’s behalf.

Shahzad Akbar on Thursday said that Member of Punjab Assembly Nazir Chohan “falsely accused” him and then “continued to voice his claims openly”.

The PM’s aide asserted that Chohan ran a “fake campaign” against him, “putting his life, as well as those of his family at risk”.

“I lodged a complaint to the police and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) as a common citizen,” said Akbar.

نذیر چوہان نے ایک مذموم سازش کے تحت مجھ پہ قادیانی ہونے کا جھوٹا الزام لگایا اور اسکا برملا پرچار کیا،میں نے اس الزام کی تردید کی اور باقاعدہ طور پہ اپنے سنی العقیدہ اور ختم نبوت پہ اپنے ایمان کا اعادہ کیا-اسکے باوجود نذیر نے جھوٹی مہم چلائی جس سے نہ صرف ملک میں مذہبی منافرت ۱/۳

— Mirza Shahzad Akbar (@ShazadAkbar) July 29, 2021

According to the police, Chohan had been initially arrested for his comments against Akbar during a private TV channel’s show and was to be shifted to the FIA’s cybercrime office. Whereas, the recent arrest was made over a separate complaint against Chohan, filed by Akbar for remarking on the latter’s religious beliefs.