ISLAMABAD - A provincial lawmaker of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Faisal Farooq Cheema, n Monday announced to have joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The development followed Cheema's meeting with PTI chairman Imran Khan. Former PTI secretary general Jahangir Tareen was also present in the meeting.

Cheema was elected to the Punjab Assembly from Sargodha in the 2013 General Elections and belongs to an influential political family of the area.

Earlier, media reported that PML-N MPA from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Arbab Waseem Hayat, joined the PTI.  Hayat had bagged the PK-8 by-election in Peshawar in 2016 from a PML-N ticket.  On Saturday, PML-N's Nasir Moosa Zai and Bilal Virk jumped ship and joined the PTI.

Virk was elected MNA on a PML-N ticket in the last elections from Sheikhupura whereas Moosa Zai was a PML-N leader in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.