PML-N lawmaker joins PTI, meets Imran at Banigala

• Opposition party announces election campaign with a grand rally in April at Minar-e-Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: MNA Dr Nisar Ahmad Jatt, a lawmaker from the NA-81 constituency and leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-N, has parted ways with the ruling party and announced to join the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

On Friday, Nisar Jatt called on PTI Chairman Imran Khan at the Banigala residence of the federal capital, and formally announced to join the opposition party. Earlier, the former PMLN leader met PTI’s disqualified leader Jahangir Khan Tareen before meeting the party chairman.

Imran said that the decision of Dr Nisar Jatt to quit a ‘mafia’ league was the right way forward for him and that the former PML-N leader would become part of the struggle against the ‘mafia’. He said that the ruling party was setting the ‘worst example’ of using the excuse of public welfare for its own advantage.

He said that the people of Punjab should prepare themselves for a ‘change’. The PTI chief also announced that the party would kick-start its general elections 2018 campaign by conducting a grand rally at Minar-e-Pakistan in April.

On the occasion, Dr Nisar Jutt also thanked Imran Khan for welcoming him to the party, saying that he has full confidence in party leadership. Earlier this week, Tariq Mehmood, a lawmaker from the NA-98 constituency of Gujranwala, met the PTI chairman and other party leaders at Banigala, where he announced his decision to join hands with the party.

The earlier PTI statement said that the former PML-N leaders announced to extend a ‘historic’ welcome to Imran Khan at the party’s Gujranwala rally on March 16. “Imran Khan has guarded the future of coming generations and forthcoming elections will put an end to the group of bandits,” it said.

A PTI spokesperson said that Imran Khan would visit Punjab in forthcoming days and, with the support of people, answer those who ‘ridicule’ institutions.