ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan on Tuesday appointed Chaudhary Parvez Elahi as president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in culmination of a series of political developments in which the latter sided with the PTI chief.
Elahi, who was previously among the top Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leaders, remained Khan’s coalition partner in the province since the last elections. The former prime minister nominated him as Punjab chief minister after being driven out of power at the center in a parliamentary no-confidence vote last April.
Khan also started agitating for snap polls in the country after the fall of his administration and ultimately announced to dissolve the legislative bodies in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, where his party was in a power, to build pressure on the government to hold national elections.
Elahi complied with his instructions by sending a summary to the governor, seeking the dissolution of the assembly.
“Ch Pervez Illahi is hereby, designated as President Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf,” Khan wrote in a brief notification issued on his party’s letterhead which he signed in his capacity as the PTI chairman.
Prior to that, Elahi formally joined the party on February 21.
The party senior vice president Chaudhary Fawad Hussain made the announcement while praising the former Punjab chief minister for remaining loyal to Khan “through thick and thin.”
Hussain also told journalists that Elahi would be appointed as PTI president, adding the decision had been made and approved by the senior party leadership.
Former Punjab chief minister Parvez Elahi appointed as ex-PM Khan’s party president
https://arab.news/cxbkc
Former Punjab chief minister Parvez Elahi appointed as ex-PM Khan’s party president
- Elahi remained Khan’s coalition partner in Punjab and dissolved the provincial assembly
- He joined the PTI last month and was praised for his loyalty toward the former premier
Pakistan to participate in T20 World Cup but won’t play against India on Feb. 15
- Controversy over Pakistan’s participation erupted after ICC rejected Bangladesh’s request to relocate their matches to Sri Lanka
- Pakistan are scheduled to play all their Group A matches in Sri Lanka and open their campaign against the Netherlands on Feb. 7
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will take part in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup but won’t play their scheduled group stage match against arch-rival India on Feb. 15, the Pakistani government said on Sunday.
The tournament will be played from Feb. 7 to Mar. 8 and co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, with matches being played across both countries and the final scheduled in Ahmedabad.
The controversy over Pakistan’s participation erupted after the ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland, following Bangladesh’s decision to not play matches in India owing to security fears.
Last week, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi had hinted at an outright boycott of the event in protest over the ICC’s decision to reject Bangladesh’s demands to relocate their matches from India to Sri Lanka.
“The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026,” read a post on the Pakistani government’s official X account.
“However, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India.”
Pakistan’s refusal to play against India, who they have already played at neutral venues in Sri Lanka, is likely to have severe financial implications.
Both sides have not played bilateral cricket since 2012 and only face each other in multi-nation events. Under a deal signed last year, India and Pakistan agreed not to travel to each other’s countries in cases where either hosts an ICC event, instead playing at neutral venues.
Pakistan are scheduled to play all their Group A matches in Sri Lanka. The ‘Men in Green’ will open their campaign against the Netherlands on Feb. 7.
