Daily Times

Special Coordinator to Chief Minister Punjab on Political Affairs Awn Chaudhry on Friday tendered his resignation after he was asked to step down for ‘lobbying against the provincial government’.

Reports said Awn Chaudhry was asked to disassociate himself from the Jahangir Tareen group or step down from his post. In a strong show of support for the former PTI secretary general, Awn Chaudhry said he was asked to distance himself from Jahangir Tareen but he prefers to submit his resignation instead. “Everyone knows that Jahangir Khan Tareen is the person who played a pivotal role in the struggle of PTI and keeping in view his efforts for the success of PTI in 2018 Elections and formation of PTI Govt in the Centre and Punjab, my conscience does not allow me to abandon my association with the most loyal member of PTI who served selflessly as I have,” he wrote in his resignation letter. “I prefer to submit my resignation from the post of Special Coordinator to the CM, to stand by Mr Tareen and his Group. I have always put my trust in Allah and He has always guided me and will continue to guide me in future Insha Allah,” he added. In the letter, the PTI leader expressed anger over the treatment meted out him by the party whom he said he had served selflessly. “I served PTI, wholeheartedly, completely ignoring my personal life and family for a cause. Sadly I was ‘rewarded’ by being removed right before the oath-taking ceremony of the Prime Minister which I accepted with grace,” he stated. “I was then made Advisor to the CM without any portfolio in Punjab and again I was removed unceremoniously and I even accepted that.”

Chaudhry was referring here to his appointment in September 2018 as an advisor to Buzdar – with no portfolio assigned in specific – and subsequent removal in September 2019 from the post.

Speaking to a private TV channel later in the day, Raja Riaz, another well-known, devout loyalist of Tareen, said, “We, too, are ready to hand in our resignations if sought.” Riaz swore not to leave Tareen’s side, adding that a ‘joint decision’ by the group will soon be taken. He said moves such as ‘pressuring members’ to hand in their resignations will end up harming the party. Punjab Minister for Prisons Fayyazul Hasan Chohan said that Raja Riaz can hand in his resignation if he wishes and then contest the elections from Faisalabad independently. “Awn Chaudhry and Raja Riaz should be ashamed of themselves for their anti-PTI rhetoric,” he said.