Tareen returns to fray amid talk of 'parallel PTI'.

LAHORE -- A group of politicians - mostly belonging to south Punjab and led by Jahangir Khan Tareen - on Monday mulled a proposition floated by the powers that be to set up a 'parallel' Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf to contain ousted prime minister Imran Khan's party ahead of the next elections.

The Tareen group held a huddle in which disgruntled MNAs and former Punjab MPAs, who were disqualified after voting for the PML-N candidate in the chief minister's election last year, participated.

'The Tareen group has been given a go-ahead to focus on breaking the PTI, especially in the light of the possible disqualification of Imran Khan in any of the cases pending against him. And this meeting was primarily convened to discuss this,' a source privy to developments told Dawn.

He said that a dissident faction of the PTI, named 'Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Nazriati', was already registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and it was likely that the Tareen group might use this platform to get the job done.

Insider says breakaway elements could be accommodated in ECP-registered 'PTI Nazriati'

As per the ECP website, Sheikhupura-based Akhtar Iqbal Dar is the chairman of PTI Nazriati.

'A recent meeting between Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and Jahangir Tareen should also be seen in this context,' he said, adding that the discussion pertained to the 'future of the PTI after its chairAman's disqualification', which the participants of the meeting thought to be 'imminent'.

'A parallel platform would have all the support of the powers that be to dent the PTI,' the source said.

Opposition Leader in National Assembly Raja...