HAFIZABAD/SIALKOT-Along with dozens of councillors and supporters, former MPA Malik Fayyaz Ahmad Awan from PML-N has announced his dissociation from PML-N and decided to join Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.
He made the announcement at the Press Club in the presence of Ch Shoukat Ali Bhatti, the general secretary of PTI Central Punjab, his father ex-MNA/MPA Ch Mehdi Hassan Bhatti district leader of PTI, ex-district nazim Mubashar Abbas Bhatti and Mamoon Jaffar Tarar.
Fayyaz lashed out at former federal minister for health services Saira Afzal Tarar, her father Chairman District Council Mian Afzal Hussain Tarar and other local PML-N leaders for letting lose nepotism, corruption and patronising contractors and Qabza group. He further said that during the past 10 years they have befooled the masses and done nothing for the welfare of the people. He expressed his full trust in the leadership of local PTI leader Mehdi Hassan Bhatti and Chief of PTI Imran Khan. He said that he would electioneer with Mehdi Hassan Bhatti for the PTI.
Mehdi Hassan and Shoukat Ali welcomed his joining PTI and said that the PTI would be further strengthened and it would give crushing defeat to their rivals. They promised to establish a university campus of and a Cadet College at Hafizabad after coming to power.
To a question, Malik Fayyaz Ahmad Awan said that the local leadership and high command of PML-N had not given him due respect as a result of which he left the party. Replying to yet another question, Ch. Mehdi Hassan Bhatti said that the panel for the district would be announced within few days.
According to PML-N sources, Malik Fayyaz Ahmad Awan has been refused PML-N ticket from any constituency of Hafizabad district hence he parted ways with the party. They questioned that if the PML-N had not given him due respect during his five year tenure, why he had not resigned in the past.
Meanwhile, the head of political parties in the district are facing great difficulties in creating panels of their respective parties to contest the upcoming elections as the district has lost one of the two National Assembly constituencies after the delimitation and uncertainty caused by the some court decisions regarding afresh delimitation of some constituencies, resolution of Blochistan Assembly to postpone election for one or two month etc.
Likewise, the Pasrur-based ex-Punjab minister from PPP Dr Tanveer Islam and his uncle Ch Maqsud Ahmed Sulehria, the PML-Q backed former Pasrur Tehsil Nazim, have joined the PTI.
They called on PTI Chairman Imran Khan at Islamabad and announced to join PTI. They also expressed complete trust in the leadership of Imran Khan.
Earlier, the Daska based District President of PPP Sialkot District Ch Ejaz Ahmed Cheema had also joined the PTI. He announced to join PTI formally after his meeting with PTI Chairman Imran Khan held at Banigala-Islamabad.
Ejaz Ahmed Cheema had been the PML-Q's Tehsil Nazim of Daska during the Musharraf Regime. However, the local leadership of PPP has strongly criticised Ejaz Cheema for flying to the camps of PTI after leaving the PPP in Sialkot.