PESHAWAR: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz senior vice president Eng Amir Muqam has said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak will part ways with Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan before the 2018 general elections.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, he said that the PTI chief failed to topple the PML-N government so he was trying to take advantage of the Panama Papers case but his efforts would yield no result. “Imran poses himself to be judge, lawyer and witness at the same time in order to influence courts but he will be unable to do so,” he added.

On the occasion, PTI leader Tahir Khan Umarzai from Charsadda and his son Barbar Khan Umarzai along with friends and family members joined PML-N.

Mr Muqam said that it was a matter of pleasure for PML-N that senior PTI leaders were reposing confidence in leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

On behalf of prime minister, he assured the newcomers that PML-N would give due status to them in its ranks to strengthen its organisation in all districts. He said that it was a visible manifestation of public mistrust in PTI-led provincial government. He hoped that a large number of ideological workers would soon join PML-N in near future.

Tahir Khan Umarzai joins PML-N along with supporters

Mr Muqam said that Imran Khan was emphasising on accountability during hearing of Panama Papers case in Supreme Court but he was yet to present himself for accountability. The offshore companies, he said, had been introduced by Imran Khan but then he was speaking against others.

The PML-N leader said that position of PTI became awkward in the province because its senior leaders were leaving the party on the basis of ideological differences. “If PTI doesn’t change its stance on national issues, it would be unable to find candidates for the next elections,” he added.

Mr Muqam claimed that PML-N would again form government in centre as well as in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the basis of its performance.

Speaking on the occasion, Tahir Khan Umarzai said that he had joined PTI two decades ago owing to an ideology, vision of change and self-accountability but the party failed to implement its agenda and manifesto.

He said that instead of ending status quo, PTI chairman Imran Khan moved ‘one-step’ ahead by nurturing culture of status quo within the party and failed to materialise his tall claims.

Mr Umarzai said that Imran Khan used people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for his vested interests and disrespected public mandate. He added that Imran Khan was only focussing on Punjab province and dreaming to become prime minister of the country.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2017