ISLAMABAD - Former Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MNA Noor Alam Khan formally joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after a meeting with PTI chief Imran Khan at his Bani Gala residence on Tuesday.
Sources told The Nation that after bidding farewell the PPP, Noor Alam, who was considered a close aide to former president and PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, had met the PTI chief at his residence a few days back. According to the sources, it was decided at the meeting that the announcement of his joining the PTI would be made in Bani Gala.
The sources also disclosed that a senior politician of PPP Punjab arranged the meeting between Noor Alam and Imran. Several senior PPP bigwigs from Punjab are also in contact with the PTI and the announcement of their joining the party would be made within a month.
The sources claimed that the PTI may also nominate Noor Alam for upcoming Senate elections from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Noor Alam, a former MNA from Peshawar, left the PPP last week saying that the party has once again been hijacked by “a corrupt mafia”. He had said that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has been sidelined in the party.
After the meeting and while talking to the media, the PTI chief welcomed Noor Alam in the party and said it was a big news for the PTI and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Imran said that new blood was necessary for the party and it was accommodating those politicians who have good repute and a successful background. He said that the party leadership gave a positive feedback in the Noor Alam’s case.
The PTI chief claimed that several Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders from Punjab were in contact with the PTI and they wanted to leave the ruling party but “they are afraid after the Ijaz Chaudhary episode”.
Ijaz Chaudhary faced fake cases after he joined the PTI, the PTI chief said. He said that the PML-N leaders were looking innocent but “actually they are fascist”.
Imran criticised the prime minister’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia and said that the whole nation felt dishonoured over the behaviour that was meted out to the PM. He said that former Pakistan president Ayub Khan enjoyed more protocol than US President Donald Trump during his visit to Saudi Arabia.
The PTI chief said that he has been informed that Hussain Nawaz has raised questions about two members of the Joint Investigation Team probing the Panama Papers case.
He said that the government has put a ban on the social media to avoid criticism, however, it was impossible to control the social media. He said that it was the PML-N that insulted the army in the Dawn leaks case.
Noor Alam said: “We raised our voice against corrupt ministers and the people during the PPP meetings but nobody was there to take notice in this regard”. He said that Imran always talks about institutions credibility and “he is the only leader of Pakistan who has raised voice against corrupt politicians in the country”.
