JI declines PTI’s offer to form coalition govt in KP

Islamabad: The Jamat-e-Islami (JI) on Wednesday declined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) offer to form a coalition government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

JI Central Naib Ameer Liaqat Baloch while taking to X revealed that following the February 8 elections, PTI reached out to JI to discuss a common strategy for government formation.

After consulting with the central leadership, a committee comprising the party’s KP chief Prof Muhammad Ibrahim and Deputy Amir Inayatullah Khan was formed under Liaquat Baloch's leadership.

He said they conveyed to the PTI that they had  serious about the results of the general elections in the country, saying that any tampering with the poll results would undermine the country's integrity and democracy.

JI extended support and respect to the PTI-backed candidates who emerged victorious, ensuring constitutional and parliamentary security for the public's mandate.

جماعت اسلامی کے مرکزی نائب امیر لیاقت بلوچ نے مرکزی مشاورت اور میڈیا سے گفتگو کرتے ہوئے کہا کہ 8 فروری 2024ء کے انتخابات کے بعد پاکستان تحریک انصاف کے قائدین نے جماعت اسلامی سے رابطہ کیا کہ جماعت اسلامی اور تحریک انصاف نئی صورتحال میں مشترکہ حکمت عملی پر اتفاق کرے۔ اس کے فوری بعد… pic.twitter.com/ncs0cXbfGz

— Jamaat e Islami Pakistan (@JIPOfficial) February 14, 2024

However, the PTI's inclination towards coalition government at the provincial level in KP was met with reluctance from JI. Baloch stated that while a national-level coalition with PTI was in the national interest, PTI's stance prompted JI to reconsider its position.

In the recent general elections, PTI-backed independent candidates emerged as frontrunners, particularly in the National and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assemblies.

Out of the 101 independent candidates who won seats, 92 were supported by PTI, underscoring PTI's influence in the electoral outcome. PML-N secured 75 seats, while PPP won 54.

PTI founder Imran Khan dismissed the prospect of forming a coalition government with PPP, PML-N, or MQM-P. Instead, PTI signaled cooperation with Majlis-e-Wahdat-Muslimeen (MWM) to establish governments in the Centre and Punjab as per Imran Khan’s directives.