Pakistan: IPP chief Jahangir Tareen quits politics, Sirajul Haq steps down as JI chief

The political situation in Pakistan took a more uncertain turn after two well-known political leaders, Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) chief Jahangir Khan Tareen and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Siraj-ul-Haq, stepped down from party positions on Monday.

IPP's Tareen also announced that he will "step away from politics altogether", while Siraj took responsibility for the party's significant drubbing in the 8 February national polls, reports Express Tribune.

In a post on X, Tareen said he would like to thank everyone who supported him in the elections and offered his congratulations to his political opponents over their victories.

However, he added that he had "immense respect for the will of the people of Pakistan" and was therefore stepping down.

Similarly, the newly-formed IPP with its core of former PTI leaders, only managed to secure two seats in the National Assembly and only one from Punjab Assembly.

In a separate post on X, Siraj said, "I accept responsibility for the election defeat and have resigned from the post of party ameer."

The resignation by the Jamaat chief comes after the party failed to secure any National Assembly seats and only secured three seats in the Sindh and Balochistan assemblies, one of which was vacated earlier today by JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman.

Meanwhile, JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rahman has announced that he is forfeiting the PS-129 Sindh Assembly seat in favour of the PTI-backed candidate.

Naeem had won from PS-129 Karachi Central VIII with 26,296 votes while PTI-backed independent candidate Saif Bari secured 11,357 votes.

In a press conference, Naeem stated that PTI-backed candidate Saif Bari secured 11,357 votes and that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had altered the results.

"I give up this seat," announced Naeem and added that "independent candidate Saif Bari won in a genuine manner, whose votes were reduced to 11,000 from 31,000".