SWABI: The much-awaited merger of Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan (AJIP) with Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) will take place on Sunday (today), leaders of the two parties told Dawn here on Saturday.

Senior Minister Shahram Khan Tarakai said they had decided to join the PTI “unconditionally”. “The two political parties have same mission and are sailing in the same boat,” he said.

“As both parties wanted to take practical steps for bringing result-oriented changes they got closer,” he said.

The four MPAs and an MNA of AJIP would now become part of the PTI after the merger, which leaders of the two parties claimed, would mark the beginning of a new era having far-reaching impact on the local politics.

Liaquat Khan Tarakai, founder of AJIP and father of Shahram Khan, had contested the Senate election on PTI ticket in March, 2015 and was elected a senator.

Published in Dawn, November 22nd, 2015