ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan on Wednesday welcomed the inclusion of former prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Barrister Sultan Mahmood in the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

Earlier, the former AJK premier had announced his inclusion in the party.

Addressing Barrister Mahmood during a gathering in Islamabad, the PTI chairman said: "I knew you before as well but when I asked people about you, one thing everyone had in common to say about you [Barrister Sultan Mahmood] was that there were no corruption allegations against you."

On the subject of local government elections, Imran alleged that LG polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been delayed due to the sluggish attitude from the administrations of Punjab and Sindh.

He said the municipal system in the northwestern province of KP would be the first of its kind in Pakistan whereby even villagers would have powers.

The PTI chief said villagers and those living in tribal areas had never succumbed to slavery and had always rebelled when anyone, including the British, tried to subjugate them. He added that they knew their rights better than their counterparts.

Calling out to the people of Kashmir, Imran said he had a vision for AJK under which the one institution that wouldn't be subservient to the regional government would be the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) so it may carry out its operations as an independent body.

Mahmood, who had long been voicing concerns about the performance of Chaudhry Abdul Majeed-led government in AJK, had said that he would unveil his decision to join PTI on Thursday (today) - the day when the nation marks solidarity with the people of India-held Kashmir.

Sources had said that he was completely disappointed by the PPP central leadership with regards to “reformation in the AJK”.

Last week, he had also criticised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for “condoning the acts of corruption in AJK under the so-called reconciliation policy”.

Take a look: Former PM of AJK set to join PTI