PTI closer to JI than other parties, says Imran

E-Paper | March 18, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Following a meeting with Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Emir Sirajul Haq in the federal capital on Wednesday, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said that his party was closer to the former than any other political force in the country, DawnNews reported.

Speaking at a joint-press conference with the JI chief, he said that Pakistan was created in the name of Islam and that both the parties share the same ideology.

Today’s meeting comes against the backdrop of a recent rift between the coalition partners in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as the PTI leadership came down hard on Jamaat emir, who had told a rally in Mansehra that both the PML-N and the PTI were “two sides of the same coin”, were not sincere in solving people’s problems and only concerned with serving their own political interests.

Khan, later in a statement, regretted that Sirajul Haq had chosen to club the PTI with the PML-N and PPP, while conveniently overlooking the number of NAB cases against both Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari.

He demanded that the JI “stop playing on both sides of the wicket” and tell the people of Pakistan where it stood.

Imran Khan’s party has been holding protest demonstrations to oust the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, which he claims came into power through rigged polls in 2013.

During today's press conference, Khan reiterated that issues relating to masses would never be resolved until a true elected government comes into power. He said that all political parties including the JI were on the same page regarding ‘rigging in the 2013 elections’.

Khan claimed that the ruling party was covering up the rigging which he alleged took place in last year’s polls. “PML-N members are hiding behind stay orders,” he added.

The PTI chief ruled out eradication of corruption without accountability in the country.

Speaking on the occasion, Sirajul Haq said that the JI has been supporting the demands made by Khan’s party right from the beginning. He said the two parties face many similar issues.

“Tehreek-i-Insaf and Jamaat-i-Islami are free to make their own political decisions… and share the same goal of abolition of status quo from the country,” he said.

Haq claimed that the prevailing system has failed and the country needs immediate electoral reforms.

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Imran Khan

Nov 05, 2014 07:29pm

Fair parties!

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asm123

Nov 05, 2014 07:32pm

so both agree on a backwards ideology then. Nice to know.

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Abdullah

Nov 05, 2014 07:40pm

I like both of them. Hope they can make an alliance in election.

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Angel

Nov 05, 2014 07:46pm

@asm123 and which ideology is that?

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Shaquille

Nov 05, 2014 07:49pm

@Abdullah PTI and PMLn none of them made alliance in last Elections with JI, though they kept engaging them. I guess both parties wanted to be looked secular/liberal for the west. Their approach stopped the possibility of any MMA type alliance.

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Zafar

Nov 05, 2014 07:50pm

Ji needs to come out strongly against this system to restore their credibility. By not saying anything about Nawazish siraj ul haq appears to be saving him and the corrupt system.

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Faisal Bajwa

Nov 05, 2014 07:53pm

JI needs to transform into a modernist islamic reform party. And if possible merge into a PTI for the good of its ideological nation. So far they are not much but Maududi's literature.

Recommend 0

Nov 05, 2014 07:54pm

IK has been saying Iqbal ka Pakistan for years Iqbal ka Pakistan is islamic pakistan plus saying closer is an attempt to move away from the comparison JI made of PTI and PMLN

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Jawad U Rahman

Nov 05, 2014 07:56pm

Stating the obvious, isn't he? Nobody doubts PTI is stuck in the right wing politics like JI. The country did not need another retrogressive force. We badly needed a national, liberal, secular, inclusive, and democratic party.

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Arman Zain

Nov 05, 2014 08:00pm

Same Ideology, is that what the article said ? Now I have to go and really look at what really ideology means as JI stands for Islamic Shariah and PTI is having DJ parties on D-Chowk. Apparently that is no where close to same ideology. It is just politics and politicians will say anything to gain advantage.

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azmat noor

Nov 05, 2014 08:05pm

One who spoke against imran,then he become wrong.Because he is an angel.

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Khalid

Nov 05, 2014 08:10pm

I have stopped supporting PTI today because of their alliance with JI. JI has never done anything for Pakistan or Pakistanis. Good luck to both partners.

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Dr. Sadaf

Nov 05, 2014 08:11pm

@asm123 , what ideology is that, please enlighten me, never heard of it. Is it the ruling party 's ideology?

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Dr. Sadaf

Nov 05, 2014 08:15pm

IK keep your cool, they are just trying to test your patience, make practical compromises but none other. You know how to build your stamina.

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hassan

Nov 05, 2014 08:16pm

Mr Imran khan, please distance yourself from JI, otherwise you will lose all your urban and middle class support.

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Just Think

Nov 05, 2014 08:24pm

Both of these parties are apologist for Taliban, who massacred 60,000 people, and want dialogue with them and want them to bring into main stream politics. Imran suggested to allow Taliban to open their offices in KPK. Both of these parties recently changed the education syllabus in KPK that includes their own twisted version of history and took the words like good morning from the books. Is that a Naya Pakistan where all kids get the same education !!!!

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Salman Rizvi

Nov 05, 2014 08:26pm

"PTI closer to JI than other parties" - that is scary.

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Salim A

Nov 05, 2014 08:34pm

So IKs idealogy is closer to a party that was against the creation of Pakistan and has never garnered more than 4% of the electoral votes?? Going backwards is IK's way of going forward. What a misguided leader he has become.

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M. Emad

Nov 05, 2014 08:39pm

The fact is JI closer to PTI than other parties . . .

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Akib

Nov 05, 2014 08:49pm

PTI is closer to JI , PTI is closer to sheikh Rasheed, PTI is acting like its part of the government after handing in their resignations. PTI is a drama

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Umair

Nov 05, 2014 08:53pm

Defeat & exhaustion showing clearly on Imran khans face. He should have been more humble.

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Hoodwink

Nov 05, 2014 08:53pm

Imran is getting desperate for attention

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whatever

Nov 05, 2014 09:15pm

Firstly,the leader of JI isnt corrupt. I'll give him points for that. Those weird liberals who are literally scared of anything related to religion( and rightfully so) will go crazy over this statement. I for one will not. I think this the JI leader is far more reasonable and not to mention a thousand times better than Fazlur rehman who has been supporting PMLN(a conservative party) and PPP( a somewhat liberal party) in their governments.

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Prince mohammed

Nov 05, 2014 09:24pm

to be honestly when i seen these two leader sitting together i feel proud and so happy that we have brave, honest and true leader in our country...

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roarwali

Nov 05, 2014 09:46pm

JI is not that bad as some people see them. They have some drawbacks: stop relying on establishment for coming into power,they want islamic systems in the country but does not have a mechanism to implement and so on and so forth/. If i have to choose between PMLN, PPP, and JI, i will choose the latter. By the way i have a viable option now in the form of PTI

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GOWALMANDIA

Nov 05, 2014 09:53pm

What ideology? Learn from Bangladesh and clean up PAKISTAN please

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Aryan

Nov 05, 2014 09:55pm

both parties are taking Pakistan back to stone age.

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Usman from Canada

Nov 05, 2014 10:00pm

@asm123 Justice, equality, transparency, democracy, access to education and healthcare. Yes in Pakistan these are considered "backwards ideologies" where corruption, nepotism, and mismangement is considered enlightenment!

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Dr. Farid Midhet

Nov 05, 2014 10:36pm

"PTI is closer to JI than other parties". Perhaps because both parties are closer to the Establishment than any other parties.

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Junaid

Nov 05, 2014 10:45pm

@azmat noor Imran is not perfect, in fact no one is perfect. Majority of times you have to chose lesser of two evils. That is is what IK is. He has more good to offer than bad. You have already seen what PMLN and PPP has done. History does not lie. Ask yourself, has your life and or other people around you, their lives gotten better? If you think yes, then that is fine, enjoy paying hefty utility bills. Otherwise, come out and join the change and give this 3rd party (PTI) a chance. If he fails, then you can always go back to PMLN or PPP. its not like they are going anywhere.

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Shahida Khan

Nov 05, 2014 10:46pm

"...he said that Pakistan was created in the name of Islam and that both the parties share the same ideology". Was that the reason why Jamat-e-Islami opposed the creation of Pakistan? And is it the same 'ideology' that Imran Khan and his party share with JI? Birds of a feather flock together, they say.

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khan

Nov 05, 2014 10:51pm

@Usman from Canada If it is so awsome, please come back to Pakistan and join JI.

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samina

Nov 05, 2014 11:03pm

Imran don't you have anything to say about the brutal murder of Christian couple? Oh wait, you are sitting next to JI and praising its ideology, how can you utter a word to condemn the attack. Show some guts man and stand for the principles of justice and stop pleasing mullas if you want to be a true leader.

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L.Ahmad

Nov 05, 2014 11:25pm

Now that PAT has left the dharna, PTI is finding solace in JI. Please don't get in bed with JI, you are chalk & cheese.

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intel

Nov 05, 2014 11:35pm

@samina If you haven't read or heard his statement that he gave than that doesn't mean he didn't say anything about it. He condemned the act as soon as news broke out.

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shah

Nov 05, 2014 11:48pm

Correct Both are mullah parties

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pathanoo

Nov 05, 2014 11:53pm

You know it is tiring to read about nonsense, nonissue, no substance rantings of the GREAT IMRAN KHAN. HE IS JUST BORING THE PEOPLE AND HIMSELF IN TO POLITICAL OBLIVIAN. GOOD JOB, IMRAN.

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Shazaib

Nov 06, 2014 12:19am

Ahan, aakhir billi thailay se bahir a he gae... IK though you are clean shaved but you are more than a molvi inside

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Ash

Nov 06, 2014 12:23am

One represents bearded Mullahs and the other without it. Both are very conservatives, not good for Pakistan in longer run.

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Aysha

Nov 06, 2014 12:49am

If Imran is with JI, I am not with Imran

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Faisal Bajwa

Nov 06, 2014 01:00am

Islam was the first main stream political system that broke the chains of conservatism and traditional monarchy. Laid the foundation of a constitutional liberal but welfare state whose strength was in devolution of power and strengthening of the institutions. The last two centuries of christianizing of Islam has pushed us into a deep termoil that we keep on plunging deeper with no hope of getting out. Our clergy class thanks to colonial times has nothing to do with Islam or its law or code of ethics and ideology. We need to politically reconstruct islam back to its true teachings if we need any way out of this mess of neo-Nebraska islam.

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Ganga Din

Nov 06, 2014 02:17am

Drowning man catches at a straw.

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Haan

Nov 06, 2014 03:50am

Not a fan of JI but will vote for them over PPP, PML N, & MQM any day !!!

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Jawad

Nov 06, 2014 04:35am

@samina I think IK is the only leader in history who brought up Hindus on Diwali --- on the container and cut the cake on camera --- I don't think any other so called leader would have the guts to do that. That alone speaks volumes about his idea of minorities.

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ysk

Nov 06, 2014 06:30am

wow - can't get further right wing than that -----maybe add TTP as your militant wing and you got the whole team

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Mustafa J.

Nov 06, 2014 07:08am

@Faisal Bajwa : You said:"The last two centuries of christianizing of Islam has pushed us into a deep turmoil that we keep on plunging deeper with no hope of getting out." My question to you who is Christianizing Islam? If you think Europeans and Americans culture and way of life is Christianity, you are dead wrong. Just as dead wrong as if anyone says culture and way of life of Pakistanis or even the entire Islamic world is Islam. Honestly speaking neither Westerners are practicing the Christianity taught by Prophet Jesus (Peace on him) nor Pakistanis as well as the entire Islamic world are practicing Islam as taught by the Holy Prophet Mohammad (Peace on him). My point is let us not blame Christianity for all evils in Pakistan and the Islamic world. They are all man-made evils created by Muslims themselves.

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Khan-Haqiqi

Nov 06, 2014 08:36am

Both share a common characteristic "Hypocrisy"

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