The PTI and its faction PTI-Parliamentarians have denied reports of contacting each other on the formation of a coalition government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

PTI-P’s Ziaullah Banghash told Aaj News that there was no truth to such reports and added that party chief Pervez Khattak would have the final decision if any contact was made.

The clarification came after sections of the media reported that Imran Khan’s party had decided to contact its faction and the PPP.

Such a report came after PTI leader Asad Qasier, along with Barrister Saif, spoke to reporters in Rawalpindi. The PTI leader announced that Omar Ayub has been nominated as the party’s candidate for prime minister.

“Asad Qaiser might have said such a thing at a press conference, however, no one has so far contacted us,” Bhangash said.

PTI’s Saif also rejected such reports, saying that he was present at the media talk and nothing such statement was made by him or Qaiser.

“It was only that as per Imran Khan’s directives, we have to contact parties who are running protest campaigns or intend to do so against rigging in elections. We will contact them and talk to them and support them,” he told Aaj News in a telephone call.

He explained that Khan has asked them to reach out to parties whose platforms it can use for determining its status.

Saif categorically rejected reports of contacting the PPP, saying that the PPP, PML-N, and MQM-P “are no-go areas” for the party.

“These three parties are forming the government and we are not planning to come to the government. We have decided to sit in opposition,” he said.

The former KP minister added that it never sent a formal invitation to the JI for an alliance with it, saying that the party only discussed if it can use their name and use their platform. But that option was ignored after the JI lost its three seats to PTI.

“Now we are talking about out of parliament alliance, support and protest campaign. We are discussing different options for joining a party in assembly.”