Islamabad: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Thursday dismissed reports of a forward bloc emerging within the former ruling party, calling them “baseless speculations.” In an interaction with media, the PTI chairman said that statements about the forward block in his par-ty were “unnecessary, wrong and contrary to facts”.
His remarks came a day after expelled PTI leader Sher Afzal Khan Marwat claimed that the PTI forward block would emerge in the National Assembly and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) assembly — the stronghold of the former ruling party — next month.
In an interview, the former PTI leader claimed that the Imran Khan-founded party won’t be able to launch its proposed protest drive after Eid ul Fitr and advised he former ruling party to accept PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s mediation offer for “face-saving”.
It is pertinent to mention here that the PTI-led opposition alliance is all set to launch a countrywide protest drive against the incumbent government after the Eid. JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman also announced plans to launch a nationwide protest campaign, along with the PTI, against the government after Eidul Fitr.
Bilawal, while addressing a ceremony at Governor House Lahore earlier this week offered to mediate between the government and opposition to facilitate a national dialogue and defuse the ongoing polit-ical tensions in the country.
He said: “I have informed the prime minister that the PPP is willing to act as a bridge between political forces to foster dialogue and cooperation.” The PPP leader said that his party remains open to dia-logue with the government to facilitate constructive discussions.
Speaking to media, Gohar said: “No forward bloc is being formed within the PTI at the provincial or na-tional assembly level.”
PTI is united under the leadership of party founder Imran Khan, he said, adding that the former ruling party was a political party and the difference of opinion among party members was not unusual.
“Difference of opinion does not mean that there is a forward bloc,” he clarified.
Every worker and office-bearer in his party has complete freedom of expression, the PTI chairman added. –Agencies
