ISLAMABAD: Abdul Aleem Khan, the president of the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP), has alleged that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification was orchestrated to clear the path for Imran Khan, the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).
During an appearance on Dawn News, Aleem responded affirmatively when asked by the host whether Sharif’s disqualification was aimed at bringing Khan to power.
He said: “Yes, absolutely.”
Pressed further on whether the then establishment played a role in this, Aleem revealed that while several other individuals were involved in the matter, the military also played its part.
“We know that Jehangir Tareen was disqualified so that Nawaz gets disqualified,” he asserted, pointing out that Tareen faced disqualification as a consequence of those manoeuvres as well.
Aleem, who was appointed as the president of IPP, a breakaway faction of PTI loyalists that coalesced around Tareen following the May 9 protests, has been increasingly critical of Khan. He has made various claims against Khan since their falling out.
During the interview, he revealed that he was privy to internal happenings within the party as he was part of it. He further claim that both himself and former Punjab Assembly speaker Sibtain Khan were arrested to serve a specific narrative on talk shows.
“They used to say, ‘We are not being vindictive, Aleem Khan and Sibtain Khan are also arrested.’ So why were Aleem Khan and Sibtain Khan arrested? So they can say this in talk shows,” Aleem added.
