Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) witnessed a significant shake-up on Monday as its patron-in-chief, Jahangir Khan Tareen, announced his resignation from the party’s leadership, signaling a departure from the political arena altogether.
This move comes in the wake of the party’s lackluster performance in the recently held general elections, where Tareen himself faced defeat in both constituencies of the National Assembly.
Founded by Tareen just last year, IPP had set ambitious goals to contest elections across the country. However, the recent election results proved unfavorable for the party, leading to Tareen’s decision to step down.
The official launch of IPP took place in Lahore, with Tareen expressing his commitment to political participation nationwide.
Unfortunately, the electoral outcomes proved challenging for the party, particularly in Tareen’s strongholds.
In the Feb 8 general elections, Tareen contested from NA-149 and NA-155 Lodhran-2 but failed to secure victory, according to unofficial results.
In NA-155, PML-N candidate Sadiqque Khan Baloch emerged victorious with 117,671 votes, while Tareen garnered only 71,128 votes from 369 polling stations in Lodhran.
Similarly, in NA-149 Multan, Tareen secured 50,166 votes, falling short as PTI-backed independent candidate Malik Amir Dogar triumphed with 143,613 votes.
In his post on X formerly Twitter, he expressed gratitude to everyone who supported him in this election and extended congratulations to his opponents.
“I have immense respect for the will of the people of Pakistan. Therefore, I have decided to resign from my position as Chairman IPP and step away from politics altogether,” he announced his decision while wishing the IPP members an “absolute best”.
“By the Grace of Allah, I will continue to serve my country to the best of my ability in a private capacity. May the next few years see Pakistan prosper,” he added.
Reacting to Tareen’s resignation, IPP President Abdul Aleem Khan expressed gratitude for Tareen’s contributions, declaring him the perpetual patron-in-chief for the party.
Aleem Khan acknowledged Tareen’s enduring impact on any government in which he participated, describing his presence as an honor.
“As a younger brother and IPP president, I pay tribute to him and his philanthropic activities. May Allah bless them with health, safety, and success. Amen,” stated Aleem Khan in a post on X.
