KARACHI: Disgruntled Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) senior leader and former MNA Rasheed Godil on Sunday joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The announcement was made after Rasheed held a meeting with PTI chief Imran Khan. In a statement issued, Imran said the PTI was glad to have someone from Karachi joining the party as they “wanted to bring change in the city”.
Karachi is the financial hub of Pakistan, which was “not prospering”, he added. After announcing his defection, Godil spoke to the media-men, saying no decision on constituencies was made during his meeting with Imran.
GHULAM ABBAS, FAYYAZ AHMED QUIT PML-N:
Senior politician Sardar Ghulam Abbas, who quit Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) last month, has joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), said a press release on Sunday. Abbas met PTI Chairman Imran Khan and announced his inclusion in the party, said the statement. Senior leader Jahangir Tareen was also present at the meeting.
Abbas, who is considered among the most influential politicians in Chakwal, had quit PML-N following Nawaz Sharif’s controversial remarks regarding Mumbai attacks in an interview. He had garnered more than 0.1 million votes as an independent contestant from Chakwal in the 2013 general elections.
Also, former MPA Malik Fayyaz Ahmad Awan has also announced quitting his party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and joining the PTI along with over a dozen councillors and supporters.
He was addressing the media at the local press club in the presence of PTI Central Punjab General Secretary Chaudhry Shaukat Ali Bhatti, his father and former MNA Chaudhry Mehdi Hassan. Bhatti, district leader of PTI, ex-district nazim Chaudhry Mubashar Abbas Bhatti and Mamoon Jaffar Tarar.
Malik Fayyaz expressed his full confidence in the leadership of local PTI leader Chaudhry Mehdi Hassan Bhatti and PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
On the other hand, backdoor talks of Chaudhry Ghafoor with PTI leaders are underway, he is also expected to join PTI.
On Saturday, PML-N’s central leader and former minister Sikandar Hayat Bosan decided to join the PTI. According to details, Sikandar Hayat Bosan had decided to join PTI and he will be the candidate of NA-154 from the PTI’s rank in upcoming general polls of 2018.
On June 1, former Punjab governor and PML-N leader Sardar Zulfiqar Khosa on joined PTI. Khosa announced to join PTI after Imran Khan met him at his residence in Lahore. The former PML-N leader expressed full confidence in the leadership of the PTI chairman.
Speaking on the occasion, Imran Khan, while welcoming Zulfiqar Khosa in the party, expressed happiness over the Khosa family joining PTI.