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VEHARI, Dec 14: The PPP workers on Saturday took out a protest procession and staged a sit-in in front of the house of MNA Azhar Yousafzai to express their anger on his joining the forward bloc.
Speaking to the protesters, local PPP leaders Noor Khan Bhaba, Jahangir Khan and others said the turncoats should keep it in their mind that everyone who had left the party was bound to obliterated from the political scene.
The protesters later dispersed peacefully.
Later, Mr Yousafzai told his party workers by phone that he joined the P5 in the larger interest of the people of his constituency.
He said Benazir Bhutto was still his leader. The time would prove that his decision was right.
Mr Yousafzai said he had joined P5 for the uplift of his constituency.
He said he was offered a package which included gas supply, sewerage system, power supply and drinking water to villages and establishment of a polytechnic college.
He said he wanted to serve the people and was not interested in getting any ministry.
BOYCOTT: The Mailsi PPP announced social boycott of MNA from NA-170 Azhar Yousafzai on joining the P5.
This was stated by former provincial minister Mahmood Hayat alias Toochi Khan.
He criticized the government for forcing the PPP MNAs and MPAs to join forward bloc. He condemned Mr Yousafzai’s decision to join the P5 and said his social boycott would continue till he quit the forward bloc.
THE PAST: Mr Yousafzai was elected MNA on the PPP ticket. The other three MNAs, Aftab Khichi, Ishaq Khakwani and Nazir Jat, were the PML-Q candidates.
Of the eight MPAs elected from Vehari district, Pir Ghulam Mohyuddin Chishti, Ayub Suldera, Javed Iqbal Khichi and Mian Majid Nawaz Arain were the PML-Q candidates, while Dr Nazir Ahmad and Tahir Iqbal won from the PML-N platform, Asif Saeed Manais from the PML-J, and Khalid Mahmood Chohan won as an independent candidate. Soon after the election, Khalid Chohan and Asif Manais joined the PML-Q.
When Rao Sikandar Iqbal and Faisal Saleh Hayat formed the PPP forward bloc, rumours spread that Azhar Yousafzai would also join it as the Pathan family from Mailsi has close relation with Mr Iqbal. But, Mr Yousafzai rejected the impression and said he would never quit the party and betray his voters and would prefer to resign instead of becoming a turncoat.
About a week ago, Mr Yousafzai told reporters that he had been offered Rs100 million and a ministry to join the forward bloc.
It would be for the third time since 1985 that the MNAs from the district will be the part of the government. In 1985, 1990 and 1997, all the members either joined the ruling party or were elected on its tickets. As far as the provincial assembly members are concerned, six members are already sitting on the treasury benches.
There are reports that PML-N MPAs Dr Nazir Ahmad and Tahir Iqbal are being forced to form a forward block. The local administration and police did not cooperative with them in solving the masses’ problems.
Political observers believe they may join hands with the government to avoid being sidelined. If it happens, all the MNAs and MPAs from the district will sit on treasury benches.
