ISLAMABAD: Putting speculations surrounding his recent meetings with Imran Khan to rest, former governor of Punjab Chaudhry Moham­mad Sarwar officially announced on Tuesday his decision to join the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

Welcomed to the party fold by Mr Khan at a glittering ceremony held at a local five-star hotel, Mr Sarwar made it clear that his decision to don PTI colours was linked to his desire to see justice, an end to corruption and greater accountability in the country.

However, a senior PTI leader summed it up best when he said, “Being a political animal, joining the PTI was the only viable option for the former Punjab governor if he wanted to stay relevant to national politics.”

Mr Sarwar’s joining was a major event and nearly all of the party’s key leadership was on hand to welcome him into their midst. It is no secret that the political capital the former governor brings to the table — by joining the party so soon after his resignation from a major position — will help the PTI.

Before allowing him admission, however, sources say that the PTI chief had convened a meeting of the entire party leadership — including the core committee, the party council as well as all central and provincial office-bearers — to seek their approval. PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi is said to be one of the only major leaders who expressed certain reservations over offering Mr Sarwar the position of party president, which had been vacant since Makhdoom Javed Hashmi quit the party last year.

PML-N embarrassed?

Being a rather recent PML-N recruit, there are many who believe that Mr Sarwar’s departure wouldn’t affect the ruling party in political terms.

But this defection will be embarrassing for the Sharif brothers, whose highly centralised decision-making apparatus had picked the virtual outsider over other, more senior, party workers to fill the Governor’s House. Several PML-N leaders had — both on and off the record — expressed resentment over the decision to appoint Mr Sarwar to the cushy position, who relinquished his British citizenship in Aug 2013 to hold the office.

“Only time will tell, if Mr Sarwar made the right choice to sit with the PTI. He was a newcomer to the party, what else did he expect from us,” a senior PML-N office -bearer asked rhetorically when asked if the Sharif brothers resented his decision to jump ship. Mr Sarwar must have known that Governor House was a non-political posting, he said, adding that Mr Sarwar wanted to act as the de-facto chief minister of Punjab, which wasn’t possible.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play