LAHORE - In the run up to elections for Azad Kashmir’s legislative assembly, PPP-P President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday awarded the party ticket to Shabir Abbas Mir who recently joined the PPP, refusing a ticket from the PML-N. 

Shabir will be contesting election from an AJK constituency in Lahore (Valley-2). He, along with his father, Ghulam Abbas Mir called on the PPP-P President at Bilawal House and expressed his confidence in his leadership. Senior PPP leader Aurangzeb Burki on whose persuasion Mr Mir has joined the PPP was also present in the meeting.

Speaking on the occasion, the PPP-P’s president reaffirmed his party’s commitment with the Kashmir cause and called upon the world powers to play their role for resolution of the Kashmir issue. “It is the responsibility of all of us to keep the Kashmir issue alive at all available forums”, he said, adding that PPP was standing with the Kashmiris in their hour of distress.

Also, Asif Zardri is expected to remain in Lahore for a couple of days and hold meetings with senior party leaders. Party sources said that some more politicians from Punjab especially from south Punjab were expected to meet the party president and announce their joining of the PPP. Earlier in the day, rumours were making rounds in the City about senior politician Zulfiqar Khosa’s meeting with the PPP-P supremo, but the politician from DG Khan denied all such reports saying no such meeting was scheduled with the PPP leader.