SIALKOT - The tendency of joining the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) seems to be far from abating as local PPP, PML-N and PML-Q dissidents have been joining the party in droves. The PTI continues to induct the “old faces” from Sialkot district. Closely watching and observing the changing political scenario, local political Pandits are of the view that no “new face” has yet been inducted in PTI till now from Sialkot district, proving the old political saying “old wine in new bottles.”
In Sialkot, the exporter-turned-politician Imtiazud Din Dar (the PML-Q backed former Tehsil Nazim Sialkot) and his exporter son Umer Dar (the losing candidate of PML-Q in PP-122 Sialkot during 2008 general elections) have joined the PTI. A prominent lawyer Peerzada Syed Saeed Ahmed Shah (former Chairman of District Baitul Maal Sialkot) has also joined PTI. The export tycoon Mian Naeem Javaid (former Sialkot District Nazim and former President of Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry-SCCI) has also joined PTI. He had been elected as the PML-Q backed Sialkot District Nazim during the Musharraf regime. Later, he joined the PML-N and now flown into the PTI camps.
Advocate Syed Najam Ali Gillani (former president of Sialkot District Bar Association-DBA) has also joined the party here. He expressed his confidence and trust in the leadership of PTI, saying that a great political revolution was coming in the country under the dynamic leadership of Imran Khan.
In Daska, Haji Nasir Mehmood Cheema (the PML-N backed former Tehsil Nazim Daska) has also joined the PTI along with his dozens of companions.
Earlier, PPP’s Sambrial based leader Col (Rtd) Sultan Sikandar had joined the PTI few days ago. He had contested the 2008 general elections on PPP ticket from (NA -112 Sambrial, Sialkot-III) and was knocked out by a new comer in politics PML-N’s Rana Abdul Sattar. Though, PTI Chief Imran Khan had announced bring new, honest and transparent faces in the party, the party has inducted only “old political faces”.
PPP Daska leader Usman Javaid Ghuman has also joined PTI. Talking to the newsmen here, they said that the present PPP was not fulfilling its political commitments made with the public, besides, remaining unable to control the skyrocketing prices, lawlessness, terrorism, unemployment and poverty. They said that in such circumstances, they had every right to follow their conscience.
They said that Imran Khan was the hope of the oppressed people in the country for bringing great political revolution in the country.
According to the giant banners displayed everywhere in both Daska and Sambrial tehsils, after losing as PPP candidate in NA-112 Sambrial, now the Col (Rtd) Sultan Sikandar has joined the PTI and he will test his political fate from Daska tehsil as expected candidate of PTI in NA-113 Daska, Sialkot-IV.
The PML-Q backed former speaker national assembly Chaudhary Ameer Hussain was also stated to be in very close contacts with PTI leadership. His close companions confirmed his well-established political links with the PTI leadership.
In Narowal, PML-Q backed Col (Rtd) Javaid Safdar Kahiloun (the former District Nazim of Narowal) has already joined the PTI. Talking to the newsmen here, he said that several PML-Q stalwarts were actively considering joining PTI from both Sialkot and Narowal districts, saying that the time was ripe for them to join the party.