LAHORE/ISLAMABAD - Twenty-five political figures belonging to various political parties of southern Punjab met with President Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPP-P) Asif Ali Zardari at Bilawal House Lahore and formally joined the PPP-P.
The announcement about their joining the PPP-P was made by Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani and other party leaders after a meeting with Asif Ali Zardari. Senior PPP-P leaders including Nayar Bukhari, Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood and Hassan Murtaza were also present in the meeting. Yousaf Raza Gilani said that many more politicians were in contact with the PPP-P leadership to join the party, but a decision in this regard would be made after seeing their background.
The politicians who joined the PPP-P on Wednesday included ex-MNA Qutab Farid Koreja, Raees Akmal Warren, Sardar Shamsher Mazari, Syed Qasim Ali Shamsi, Fareeha Batul, Abdul Aziz Kalank, former MPA, Rasool Bakhsh Jatoi, Pir Jafar Muzamal Shah, Sardar Allah Wasaya Chanu Leghari, Muhammad Alamdar Abbas Qureshi, Malik Abdul Ghaffar Arain, Mrs. Atta Qureshi, Yasir Atta Qureshi, Syed Jamil Shah, Syed Rashid Shah, Sheikh Dilshad Ahmed, Syed Bilal Mustafa, Syed Tahsin Nawaz Gardizi, Mian Ali Haider Watto, Mian Salman Ayub Mohal, Mian Amir Haider Watto, Ayaz Khan, Amjad Khan Niazi, Muzamil Khan Niazi and Umar Masood Farooqui.
These politicians belong to Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, Bahanagar, Mianwali, Okara and Khanewal. Three PTI ticket holders are also among these politicians.
Answering a question, Yousaf Raza Gilani said that PPP had always supported the idea of negotiations to resolve political issues. He also said that the PPP-P was not in favor of excluding anyone’s name from politics.
To another question, he said that it had been a consistent stance of the PPP that elections should be election according to the Constitution.
The PPP leader also said that the PTI had made a mistake by dissolving the assemblies but opposing the election on May 14 was also a mistake. Referring to the May 9 violence by the PTI activists, Yousaf Raza said the attack on the military property was equivalent to the attack on the country and the military wings of the political parties should be abolished.
Meanwhile, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari is currently active to net more Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf dissidents as the coalition government considers general elections later this year.
The PPP is pressing the senior coalition partner – the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) – to go for general elections on time around October to elect the new government.
Several PML-N ministers too have indicated the elections will be held on time. More than 70 leaders and former lawmakers have parted ways with the Imran Khan-led PTI since May 9 when the PTI protesters resorted to violence.
Asif Ali Zardari, who is in Lahore now for three days, is ready to welcome new people into his party’s fold.
After a meeting with Zardari, PPP Vice Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani yesterday claimed the next government will be led by the PPP.
PTI leaders including Fawad Chaudhry, Shireen Mazari, Aamir Kiyani, Imran Ismail, Ali Zaidi, Abrarul Haq, Amin Aslam, Maleeka Bokhari, Musarrat Cheema and Jamshed Cheema, have quit the PTI in light of the May 9 riots.
Meanwhile, PPP leader Faisal Karim Kundi – who is also the Federal Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Security – said the PPP was a strong pillar of democracy.
Reacting to PTI dissident leader Asad Umar’s statement, he said Asad Umar should not try to distort history by comparing PTI with the PPP.
He said that the leadership of PPP went to the gallows with pride while Imran Khan is afraid of going to jail. He said that Benazir Bhutto and Nusrat Bhutto endured the difficulties like no one else did.
Kundi ridiculed Asad Umar and said that PPP activists used to go to jail shouting Bhutto slogans and came out of jail shouting Bhutto slogans, while PTI members were crying.
He said Asad Umar also turned to the Press Club after his release from jail and left all the positions of PTI.
Kundi said mere condemnation of May 9 incident was hypocrisy. “The fact is that Imran Khan has attacked military installations and Jinnah House,” he added.