Senior member of Pakistan PM Imran Khan's ruling party forms breakaway group

Estranged leader of Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Jahangir Khan Tareen has formed a group of like-minded lawmakers in the lower house of parliament as well as the Punjab Assembly, The Express Tribune reported late on Tuesday.

According to the report, Raja Riaz will be the parliamentary leader of the group in the National Assembly, while Saeed Akbar Nawani will be the parliamentary leader in the Punjab Assembly.

Noman Langarial, one of the supporters of Tareen, who attended the dinner, said that 31 lawmakers attended the event. Member of the Punjab Assembly (MPA) Salman Naeem said during the dinner that supporters of Tareen decided to formally launch their own group, The Express Tribune reported.

Tareen, on May 18 had hosted a dinner at his residence in honour of several lawmakers who have been supporting him as he fights several cases against him. It was reportedly decided at the event that the attending lawmakers would raise their voice for Tareen in the assemblies, as per Geo News.

Meanwhile, senior leaders of the ruling PTI have expressed their commitment to Prime Minister Imran Khan after the formation of a 'group' within the party.

Jahangir Tareen, who has recently fallen out with Imran Khan, is backed by many lawmakers of the federal National Assembly and provincial Punjab Assembly, the Dawn newspaper reported, citing Raja Riaz, the leader of the new group.

( With inputs from ANI )