ISLAMABAD: Once again, two powerful groups in the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are at daggers drawn, in a scenario that could seriously undermine Prime Minister Imran Khan’s efforts for the revival of military courts.
In January this year, PM had formed a two-member committee comprising of Vice Chairman PTI and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak to reach out to opposition parties for forging consensus to introduce a constitutional amendment in the Parliament for the extension of military courts that have ceased to function following the expiry of their two-year term last month.
Not satisfied with the progress of the committee, PM wants Jehangir Khan Tareen, one of his most trusted confidantes, to play a frontline role in garnering opposition’s support for the military courts’ extension, said a member of PM’s federal cabinet, requesting anonymity.
Qureshi, who has been leading the drive to win opposition’s support over military courts’ extension issue, is now feeling side-lined and has resorted to publically targeting Tareen, the source told The News Today.
PM is not happy with Qureshi’s recent criticism of Tareen, it is learnt. Reportedly, the Premier asked the foreign minister, during cabinet meeting on Tuesday, to refrain from attacking his party colleagues and to resolve party related disputes at the PTI’s internal forums.
“The PM feels that Qureshi and the relevant committee has hardly played an effective role in winning opposition’s support over military courts’ extension. The committee was formed in January. The military courts’ term expired in March. Qureshi and Khattak had more than two months to woo opposition’s support on military courts’ extension but there was hardly any progress,” the insider said.
“PM now wants Tareen to be at the forefront – to hold talks with opposition parties to get their support for military courts’ revival,” the source said.
Another close aide of PM, who also wished not to be named, said Tareen enjoyed ‘a greater level of acceptability and popularity’ within PTI.
“He (Tareen) may be disqualified by the Supreme Court from holding any public office but he is very much relevant in politics since powerful groups in our party strongly support him. Plus, opposition leaders are more amenable towards Tareen compared to Qureshi.”
During his stint as Secretary General PTI before been disqualified by the Supreme Court, Tareen is said to have played a major role in strengthening the PTI’s political presence in different parts of the country, especially Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He was not only accessible to party’s rank and file, but also maintained good relations with opposition leaders, that earned him wide popularity and political influence, according to party insiders.
On the contrary, Qureshi has the reputation of keeping the party leaders and workers at a distance, which is described as one of the major reasons of his lack of support within PTI.
Government sources said the PM wants Qureshi to mainly focus on his governmental portfolio instead of getting involved in other matters. “For someone who holds the portfolio as prestigious and demanding as foreign minister, there shouldn’t be any room to get involved in other affairs. PM thinks it was a mistake to task Qureshi with reaching out to political parties on military courts’ revival. Qureshi has hectic commitments concerning his ministerial position and he can barely afford to get into any other business.”
Reportedly, PM Khan is also of the view that Tareen can play vital role to convince the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaderships to extend support for military courts’ revival. Both mainstream opposition parties have already indicated their refusal to grant a second extension to military courts.
Recently, Tareen gave a briefing to federal cabinet on agriculture which drew criticism from PML-N. The former ruling party questioned why Tareen was attending cabinet meetings despite being disqualified by the apex court. On Monday, Qureshi raised eyebrows by saying that Tareen’s presence in cabinet and official meetings gives PML-N, especially Maryam Nawaz, a reason to criticise.
Tareen hit back with a tweet suggesting that he only considered Imran Khan his leader and was answerable to him only. The tweet added that Tareen was least concerned “what others may say due to their own strange reasons.”
Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry sided with Tareen. He tweeted that Tareen attended cabinet meetings on the wish of the PM and “officials should respect the will of the PM.”
“If PTI is in government today, it is due to major contribution of Jehangir Khan Tareen. It was unfortunate that court decision came against him. He was out of election but not from the hearts of PTI workers,” Chaudhry tweeted.
This is not the first time Qureshi and Tareen have locked horns. Qureshi publically criticised Tareen before general elections last year for attending party meetings and allegedly interfering in party matters after his disqualification at the hands of SC.
“Qureshi may be a federal minister but Tareen still holds substantial influence in the party; at the centre and Punjab chapter. This is a factor of concern for Qureshi who feels being sidelined in the party,” PTI sources commented.
Military courts were first established for two-year term in January 2015 by the then PML-N government through a constitutional amendment mainly to put to trial hardcore terrorists in the aftermath of horrific terrorist attack on Army Public School in Peshawar in December 2014. Their term ended in January 2017, and in March 2017, these courts were revived for another two-year term.
