Imran loyalists triumph, betrayers bite the dust

Karachi, Feb 10:  The loyalists of jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan -- including some political nobodies -- have defied all odds and emerged triumphant, beating political juggernauts in the high-stakes general elections held on February 8, a media report said.

While Khan’s loyalists emerged victorious, those who betrayed him received humiliating drubbing despite having the support of the powerful circles in the country, The Express Tribune reported.

The PTI was under the state’s wrath after the May 9 (2023) attacks on national security installations nationwide. Every effort was made to literally erase Khan’s party from the political arena by jailing its top leadership and workers, forcing them to change loyalties or give up politics, and imposing a media blackout on their activities, the report said.

It became extremely difficult to stay loyal to Khan.

Prominent among those who ditched Khan was Pervez Khattak, former Chief Minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa who jumped ship to form a splinter group by the name of PTI-Parliamentarians.

Sugar cartel Jahangir Tareen -- who was once in the inner sanctum of Khan -- also cobbled up a party, Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), apparently at the behest of powers that be to woo PTI deserters.

However, both the parties received humiliating drubbing in the elections.