Former PPP senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar has hinted that the formation of a new political party will be announced this month as politicians gear up for general elections.

Earlier this year, the former senator, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former finance minister Miftah Ismail held a series of seminars — dubbed ‘Reimagining Pakistan’ — to highlight the country’s current challenges and develop a consensus on the future course of action required by all stakeholders.

Despite speculation to the contrary, Khokhar had said there were no plans to turn the campaign into a political party. However, in recent times both he and Ismail have conceded to an urgent need and space in the country for a new political party, adding that they have also been trying to convince Abbasi on the issue.

In an interview on Dawn News programme ‘Doosra Rukh’ on Sunday, Khokhar was asked about the timeline of the formation of this new party, to which he replied: “God willing, this month.”

“There is also a proposal that it (party formation) should be done after the elections but, in my opinion, we should do it before the elections,” Khokhar said.

If formed, this would be another political party that could enter the election fray.

Other newly formed parties include PTI breakaway factions Jehangir Tareen’s Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) and Pervez Khattak’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Parliamentarians (PTI-P), both of which have cannibalised prominent members of the party.

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Questioned why he felt a need for a new party, Khokhar said the “failure” of the other parties was before everyone to see with the same slogans and promises of reforms in the past decades but with nothing to show as progress.

On whether any electables would join the new party, the former senator said it was very important for the party not to be tagged with a “pro-establishment” label, adding that the people could not be blamed for such apprehensions too due to the country’s political past.

On why Abbasi was taking his time to consider jumping in with the new party, Khokhar said it was a major decision for the senior PML-N veteran. “He is convinced that the failure of other political parties is before you and there is a space present [for a new party],” Khokhar added.

In an interview on Samaa TV show Nadeem Malik Live last week, Abbasi had stated there was a need for a new party as parties needed complete reforms.

“Everyone is involved in today’s incompetency … If these parties had woken up and strived to solve ordinary people’s issues then there would be no need,” Abbasi had said.

Their comments come as parties have entered preparation mode for the elections in full swing. The Election Commission of Pakistan previously announced that polls in the country would be held in January next year but did not provide a specific date. A list of preliminary delimitations rearranging electoral districts across the country in light of the 2023 digital census was published last week.

Ismail and Abbasi had both resigned from their party posts earlier this year. Meanwhile, Khokhar had left the PPP in December last year, weeks after resigning as a senator in November, stating that he had a good run with the party but to continue further “is compromising on my self-respect”.

According to the analysts, the initiative by the political mavericks seems to have excited many media personnel and commentators. TV channels and newspapers frequently interview Khokhar, Abbasi and Miftah as they are regularly invited as main speakers at high-profile seminars.