TAXILA: The Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) on Thursday vowed to fulfill the promise to bring about ‘Naya Pakistan’ as the party formally kicked off its election drive by organising a workers’ convention.

Former federal minister in the previous Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government Ghulam Sarwar Khan, former member National Assembly Mansoor Hayat Khan and former member provincial assembly Ammar Sadeeq Khan formally announced joining the IPP bandwagon.

“What do we want to do? We want to take Pakistan beyond its potential,” said IPP’s patron-in-chief and former MNA Jahangir Tareen while addressing the convention.

“Whether we succeed or not, only God knows. But we will work with good intentions and will think of the people first”, said Mr Tareen.

The IPP chief said they would set a new tradition by forgetting the past and looking forward to the prosperity of the country, the well-being of a common man and strengthening of the institutions.

He welcomed Ghulam Sarwar in the party-fold and called him his “brother.”

IPP president Aleem Khan in his address lambasted PTI chief Imran Khan for indulging families, including women, into politics and dragging them in the fake cases.

He alleged that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was used to grill the opponents as well people within their own party just for political gains.

“Imran Khan was not sincere with any one even with himself and his sons”, he alleged.

“The PTI did not have a single councillor or UC Nazim in 2011. Before that, we had served as ministers and we were having the passion to indulge in untraditional politics for the sake of restricting the country,” he added.

IPP leaders Amir Kiyani, Firdous Ashiq Awan, Ishaq Khakwani, Aoun Chuadhry and Gulab Jamal were also present on this occasion.

Later, addressing a press conference, IPP spokesperson Firdous Ashiq Awan said she firmly believed that elections would be held as per schedule announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan. She said the IPP would lead the country towards prosperity under the leadership of Jahangir Khan Tareen.

She alleged that former first lady Bushra Bibi and Farah Gogi had plundered the national wealth and harmed the party [PTI].

“The country’s economy was declining, but the families of Bushra Bibi and Farah Gogi were becoming rich,’’ she added.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2023