LAHORE: Former chief minister of Punjab Mian Manzoor Wattoo has left Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and has officially joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Manzoor Wattoo, who served as the vice president of PPP in the past was formally invited by key PTI leaders, Jehangir Tareen, Federal Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan and Punjab Senior Minister Aleem Khan to join the ruling party.
In the July 25 elections, Wattoo violated the discipline of his former party (PPP) by contesting the polls as an independent candidate. However, the PPP did not take any disciplinary action against him.
He had reportedly struck a local seat adjustment deal with the PTI in a failed attempt to win.
Wattoo’s son, Khurram Jahangir Wattoo and daughter, Rubina Shaheen, both hold various PPP offices – had already embraced PTI and contested the recent general election from its platform.
Jahangir Wattoo had been issued a ticket for PP-185 Okara, while daughter Rubina Shaheen was given a ticket for PP-186 Okara.
Wattoo joined PPP on 29 May 2008 along with party members in Islamabad soon after winning a decisive victory in February 2008 elections in which he won from two constituencies, NA-146 and NA-147, as an independent and his daughter Rubina Shaheen Wattoo won from PP-188.
Wattoo served as the Federal Minister for Industries and Production in the PPP government under Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and in November 2009, became Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas.
In 2012, his son, Khurram Jahangir Wattoo, who won NA-147 after his father left his home constituency, was made the Parliamentary Secretary for Establishment and Cabinet Divisions by the PPP leadership.
In 2012, President Asif Zardari made Mian Manzoor Wattoo the Provisional President of PPP Central Punjab.
