LAHORE Around 16 rebel MPs of the PPP likely to surface in the support of Shah Mehmood Qureshi in several rounds soon, while a major chunk of these Parliamentarians expected to join the PTI when the next general elections are announced, The Nation has learnt. Close circles of former PPP leader, Qureshi, who is now part of the PTI told this correspondent on Saturday that over two dozen members of Provincial Assembly of Punjab and National Assembly were in contact with charismatic Makhdoom of Multan and likely to announce their open support for senior PTI leader in several rotations as a smaller group likely to join Qureshi in the near future. While the majority of the mentioned Parliamentarians expected to surface in the support of Qureshi at the time of announcement of the next polls. It may be noted here that two of the MPAs fall under the National Assembly constituency of former Foreign Minister from Multan, Malik Abbas Raan and Dr Akhtar Malik have already come in open to support Shah Mehmood Qureshi. Close associates of Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who recently joined the PTI in a mammoth gathering of Qureshis spiritual followers at Ghotki (Sindh) would start a new round of meetings with rebel MPs of his former party after Ashura, however, a schedule of these meetings has yet to be decided. They said that Qureshi who would be getting the position of Vice Chairman PTI, second to Imran Khan help bringing several key political figures in PTI camp before the next elections. Shah Mehmood Qureshi, senior PTI leader when contacted neither denying nor confirming the information of this reporter said, 'a sizeable number of sitting MPs of the PPP, who have no confidence over the current party leadership will be joining him as part of the PTI. Asked about the names of PPP rebels on his side, he said, 'Some of them have already come in his open support, while naming the other supporters could create problems for them at this stage, while the political opponents of PTI will see his supporters among the PPP ranks soon. Senior PTI leader maintained that PPP high command including the Prime Minister have failed to attract the support of dissident MPs despite offering them huge funds besides other benefits. Qureshi when asked about PTIs political alignments in South Punjab and Sindh, said that he would take up the issue of forging new alignments with party leadership after Ashura. However, he stated that the matter regarding political arrangement with other parties would take a practical shape before the next polls, while preliminary exercise in this regard would be started soon.