Former federal minister Humayun Akhtar Khan joined the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) on Saturday, becoming its senior vice president (SVP) on the very first day of inclusion.
The IPP, led by former PTI member Jahangir Khan Tareen, has become a new political home for several departing PTI leaders, including Aleem Khan, Imran Ismail, Firdous Ashiq Awan, Farrukh Habib, Fawad Chaudhary and others.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Akhtar expressed confidence in IPP’s ability to address the country’s challenge.
Flanked by Tareen and Aleem, he emphasized the party’s commitment to tackling real issues and improving the country’s conditions.
He praised IPP’s leadership, acknowledging their crucial role in PTI’s creation and success in the 2018 elections.
Tareen, the founder of IPP, highlighted the party’s mission to propel the country toward economic development.
He noted the decline in PTI’s popularity after the May 9 events and stressed the importance of collective efforts for economic progress.
Aleem, welcoming Akhtar to IPP, described him as a significant asset for both the party and the country.
He clarified that IPP had no coalition agreement with PML-N yet, but negotiations were ongoing between their respective teams.
The trend of PTI members defecting to IPP has intensified in the lead-up to the elections. Recently, disgruntled PTI union committee chairmen from Karachi announced their support for IPP, and several other prominent figures, including Ali Nawaz Awan, Farrukh Habib, Andleeb Abbas, Sadia Sohail, and Sumaira Bokhari, joined IPP in October and November.
