Estranged senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, made a formal approach to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday to register a new political party.
Abbasi, a seasoned politician, who parted ways with the Nawaz-led party due to differences over the past year, submitted the necessary paperwork to the election commission’s office for the new party’s registration.
Having served as the prime minister from August 2017 to May 2018, Abbasi expressed to reporters that he had supplied all required documents to the election commission under the Election Act 2017 for his upcoming political venture. He announced his intent to participate in the next elections under his new party’s banner.
Prior to Abbasi’s initiative, two prominent figures from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) – Jahangir Tareen and Pervez Khattak – established their own political entities, attracting a significant number of former PTI members.
Tareen formally inaugurated his party, Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), in June last year. Following suit, Khattak launched PTI Parliamentarians in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), which saw a substantial influx of defectors from the PTI.
Abbasi had hinted at forming a new party on several occasions amidst disagreements with the PML-N’s leadership, indicating an imminent formation after the nationwide polls on February 8.
Additionally, he opted not to participate in the 2024 general elections, a noteworthy decision made after stepping down from party responsibilities following Maryam Nawaz’s appointment as senior vice-president and chief organiser last year.
