PTI may sit on opposition benches, report

Despite securing most number of seats through their independent candidates, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) would opt to sit on opposition benches instead of forming a collation government.

The move has been hinted by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Sunday.

Gohar said that PTI-backed independent candidates would decide within a day or two, as which party was to be joined and “we would also get allotted reserved seats”.

“We would prefer to sit on the opposition benches instead of compromising our position and would make the final decision in this regard within a day or two,” he said told Geo News.

He claimed that the results of 70 seats were controversial and demanded the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) handle the matter at the earliest.

“All other candidates are in touch with the party and are with us and they will remain with us,” he said.

“We had expressed apprehensions earlier that some members would change loyalties. But we had faith in Waseem Qadir [who joined Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz],” he added.

Gohar said Waseem had stood by the party in very difficult times. “It is not a good tradition that a person wins with the support of a party and then aligns with another party,” he remarked.

Moreover, he denied contact with Jammat-e-Islami, and said any party could be joined by them and it was also not necessary that the party should be present in parliament.

He reiterated that they would not form an alliance with anyone. He also clarified that it was not under consideration that his party-backed MNAs-elect would join the JI.