Imran Khan says PTI not joining any alliance

 

LONDON: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has declared that his party will not be part of any opposition alliance and was not in discussions with any party in this regard.
Khan confirmed to The News that he was in London to attend a fundraiser and to spend time with his children and had no intention of being part of any alliance.

Khan told The News exclusively that reports that he was taking his party into an alliance were “absolutely” incorrect.

The confirmation from Imran Khan came as the Chaudhry brothers and Dr Tahirul Qadri entered into an agreement to launch a joint movement against the current set-up.

PTI spokesperson Shireen Mazari had said that Khan was in London not for any political meetings but speculation remained rife that the presence of three anti-PML-N party leaders at the same time could lead to the formation of an alliance. But Khan poured cold water on any such development and said that any decision in the future would be taken in consultation with his party.

Separately, speaking to The News Dr Tahirul Qadri said that the Chaudhry brothers had come to London to meet him only and news that the PTI and the MQM were becoming part of the alliance were “misleading” and “media fabricated”.

He told The News that it was just a “coincidence” that Imran Khan, himself and the Chaudhry brothers were present in London at the same time but “the original meetings were planned between them only and had nothing to do with Imran Khan or his party”.

Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) sources told The News that the Chaudhry brothers wanted to meet Dr Qadri in Canada but the lengthy visa process for the country meant that it was more convenient for Dr Qadri to meet them in London.

A source explained: “Dr Qadri is presiding over a meeting of PAT office bearers on Saturday evening in London and a Europe-wide party convention on Saturday in Birmingham. All other speculation is wrong.”

PTI, PAT, PML-Q leaders may form alliance

 

LONDON: Leaders of three parties have gathered in London giving rise to speculation that the stage is being prepared for an anti-government alliance between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) and Pakistan Muslim League-Q.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Pakistan Muslim League leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain arrived in London on Wednesday afternoon almost at the same time.

The PML-Q as a political unit has no presence in Britain because all the units defected to the PML-N but an aide of Chaudhry Shujaat said that Chaudhry was in contact with Imran Khan’s party and during his stay in London would like to meet Altaf Hussain as well.

He said a meeting with Dr Qadri and Imran Khan was on the cards but didn’t say when and where. He said the PML-Q will join any party that supports mid-term elections and ouster of the current government.

Speaking to ‘The News’ late on Thursday evening, PML-Q leader Chaudhry Shujaat confirmed that he will be meeting Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri along with his party delegation.

He said: “We have deep relations with each other and we will be meeting Dr Qadri. Our agenda is one point: betterment of Pakistan and empowerment of democracy. We agree with each other that the current government has failed and new alliances need to be made. We will release more details tomorrow after the meeting.”

On Thursday afternoon, PAT leader Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri also reached London unannounced. It’s the timing of Dr Qadri’s arrival that is of importance because the PAT sources had earlier said that he would be arriving here in the second week of June.

His party spokesman said that Dr Qadri had arrived in London for “medical check-up” although Dr Qadri himself has said that he prefers to live in Toronto, Canada, for medical reasons. A senior leader of PAT confirmed in a twitter message that PTI, PAT and PML-Q chiefs will “finalise anti-govt strategies in London” but later on retracted it.

When contacted by the News, a PAT source said that a meeting was likely and the three parties were in contact but “nothing is finalised yet”.

Dr Qadri was scheduled to reach London in June from Toronto and then fly out from here to Pakistan for what’s now called the “Shahadat Proof Bunker Dherna” but his sudden arrival in London means that he was asked to arrive for talks while the like-minded leaders were also around.

The PAT source said that all the three parties agreed on the need to launch a movement against the PML-N government. “The mandate of this government is fake and it needs to be ousted. We are contacting all the parties in this regard.”

A PTI source said that Imran Khan was in London to spend time with his two sons and “also to attend a fundraiser for the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital on Saturday”. He didn’t deny that a meeting might take place between the three parties.

Some sources have said that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) will also be taken into confidence and Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri will lead the efforts to bring the MQM on board.

“Dr Qadri is very close to the MQM and Altaf Hussain is his key supporter and has supported Dr Qadri whenever his campaign related to Punjab where both have a common enemy in the shape of the PML-N. Imran Khan and Shujaat also have the same agenda against the PML-N. Their alliance is natural. They have been once key allies of Pervez Musharraf and all of them benefitted from Musharraf in one way or the other. Pervez Musharraf needs them more than ever. This government needs to be brought under pressure to provide an exit route to Musharraf and that will happen when there is a grand opposition alliance in place as a cover,” said a source familiar with the London developments.

The MQM will have no issue giving its support to an opposition alliance as far as it concerns agitation in Punjab and in any case a movement against the PML-N government only benefits the MQM.Reports said that Chaudary Pervaiz Elahi has also been called to London.

IK alliance with TUQ stuns JI Amir

ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Sirajul Huque Saturday said he was simply stunned over Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s alliance with Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahir ul Qadri, Geo News reported.

Sirjul Huque said that Imran Khan didn’t consult with him while making alliance with Tahir ul Qadri.

Talking to Saleem Safi in Geo News’ program ‘Jirga’, JI Amir said that all the parties would have to get together for making the Election Commission independent and autonomous.

PPP, MQM forming alliance to thwart peace talks: Taliban sources

KARACHI: Taliban sources have claimed that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in Sindh are engaged in making alliance in a bid to thwart peace talks.

The Taliban sources said that during their one-month ceasefire Sindh government continued to arrest Taliban activists and tortured them in prison.

Obama in Saudi as changes test decades-long alliance

ROME: US President Barack Obama will aim Friday to reassure his Saudi hosts on the strength of their alliance, frayed by Washington´s diplomatic opening towards Iran and reluctance to use force in Syria.

Obama is expected late on Friday in oil-rich Saudi Arabia, the fourth and final stop of a tour this week after the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy.

The White House was late to announce Obama´s stop in Riyadh, following his European tour, fuelling speculation on the motives of the US president´s second visit since his election in 2009 to Washington´s decades-old ally in the Middle East.

Dating back to the end of World War II, the relationship was founded on an agreement for Washington to defend the Gulf state in exchange for oil contracts.

OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia is the world´s top producer and exporter of oil. In 2012, it was still the second largest exporter to the United States, after Canada.

But relations have soured, with Riyadh openly criticising US policy on regional issues, which are to be discussed at a meeting followed by dinner between King Abdullah and Obama.

At the Arab League summit in Kuwait on Tuesday, Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz accused the international community of "betraying" Syrian rebels, outgunned in their war against President Bashar al-Assad´s regime.

According to the Syrian opposition, Washington has imposed a veto on its allies against arming rebels with anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons, over fears they could fall into the hands of Islamist extremists.

And the Saudis were bitterly disappointed by Obama´s 11th-hour decision last year to back down from military action against the Syrian regime over chemical weapons attacks.

Saudi Arabia, long wary of Iran´s regional ambitions, is also sceptical of the interim nuclear deal reached by world powers and the Islamic republic in November, viewing it as a risky venture that could embolden Tehran.

The agreement would curb Iran´s controversial nuclear activities in exchange for limited sanctions relief, and is aimed at buying time to negotiate a comprehensive accord.