PPP suffers another blow in Punjab as Sumsam Bokhari joins PTI

E-Paper | March 10, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party suffered another blow in Punjab on Wednesday after former minister of state Sumsam Bokhari along with a group of senior party members from Okara shifted their allegiance to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

Sumsam Bokhari, along with other PPP leaders from Punjab, met Imran Khan at his Bani Gala residence in the federal capital. Senior PTI leaders Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Jehangir Tareen were also present in the meeting.

Talking to media personnel on Wednesday, Bokhari said the PPP had become the ruling PML-N’s "B-team" in Punjab as a result of its policy of reconciliation and its role of a friendly opposition. He went on to say that PML-N’s governance in Punjab was unacceptable.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi said PTI was gaining popularity each passing day, adding that all those who share the party's vision will be accommodated. "There will be no distinction between old and new members, all those on board the party's manifesto will be treated as equals," said the PTI leader.

Ashraf Sohna, the disgruntled former district president of the PPP who joined the PTI earlier this week, was also present alongside Qureshi and Bokhari. Talking to reporters, Sohna said the PPP was no longer a significant political force, adding that "no sensible person would want to indulge in politics from PPP's platform."

Sohna's resignation had sent the PPP into alarm mode, resulting in an emergency meeting of the party’s Okara district chapter presided over by Senior Vice President Rana Gul Nasir, which was attended by party office-bearers from all three tehsils of the district.

The party’s District General Secretary Farooq Ashraf Sangoka told the participants former district president Ashraf Sohna had been trying to join the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf for a few months and was disinterested in the party’s activities.

Also read: PPP Okara chapter briefed on Sohna’s move.

Sohna's departure had led to the PPP leadership approaching two other former federal ministers – one of them Sumsam Bokhari – following reports they too have plans to say goodbye to the party for different reasons.

PPP central Punjab president Manzoor Wattoo, on the direction of the party leadership, contacted on Tuesday former federal ministers Nazar Gondal and Sumsam Bokhari and discussed ‘rumours’ about their plans to quit the party and join the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

“Both Mr Gondal and Mr Bokhari dismissed such reports and reiterated their commitment to the party and its leadership,” Mr Wattoo had told Dawn.

Take a look: PPP gets ‘loyalty reassurance’ from two ex-ministers.

But on Wednesday Sumsam Bokhari submitted his resignation from the PPP to the party’s co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

Amongst other PPP Okara leaders who joined PTI today are Arif Lashari, Shafiq Kamboh, Hafeez Nazeer, Shaikh Abdul Shukoor, Waseem Akhtar and Malik Asim Dogar.

Pakistan

LHC issues notices to Centre, Ogra on plea against oil price hike

Seven held for power theft in Punjab; 12 illegal meters removed

Punjab Assembly opposition leader flays government ‘for failure to manage’ petrol supply

Danish

Jul 01, 2015 11:17pm

Saying goodbye to PPP make sense. The party is binded by vested interests only.

Recommend 0

M. Siddique

Jul 01, 2015 11:23pm

Is PTI becoming party of Lotas now. Before they join PTI, they should be told that it will after two elections they may be considered for any position of responsibility. That will slow down the march of opportunists towards PTI.

Recommend 0

Rakaposhi

Jul 01, 2015 11:40pm

It is always great to see political heavy weights and the so called electable want to join your party, the message has gone that far however PTI leadership must make sure they are genuinely joining and are truly committed to party's ideology. Those who will say PTI has become party of lotas should ask themselves first when in your whole life have you ever voted for non-electable or ideological candidate in any elections? You can't refrain from voting for them but you ask PTI not induct them?

Recommend 0

Gaz

Jul 01, 2015 11:52pm

Well done Bilawal you are doing a great job keep up the good work so that next election is a straight fight between PML-N and PTI.

Recommend 0

Haider Rehman Real

Jul 01, 2015 11:53pm

PTI must scrutinise them first. Check assets first.

Recommend 0

Faisal B

Jul 01, 2015 11:56pm

whats wrong with imran........is he really that desperate for power?.......willing to take onboard anyone.......no ethics no discipline?...........unfortunately pti is portraying themselves as garbage collectors..........trying to build on these losers and lottas.........they can never be loyal and will ditch pti the moment the wind blows in another direction...........please wake up.

Recommend 0

Xi Jinping

Jul 02, 2015 12:07am

Sumsan is Mr. Nobody in the Okara district politics. He is a dead weight enough to sink the PTI boat in Okara.

Recommend 0

Syed

Jul 02, 2015 12:12am

So many have tried to do what these two did today ! Likes of Farooq laghari and mustafa jatoi This is a party of Martyrs , agreed that it has to reorganize itself But shame on those who bad mouth after leaving and shame on those who accept them !

Recommend 0

Syed Ahmed, Canada

Jul 02, 2015 12:19am

Any thing is possible in Pakistani politics, one day Bilawal may also join the PTI.

Recommend 0

F Khan

Jul 02, 2015 12:20am

So now failed jiyalas will bring change and will lead us to naya pakistan? Since ppp has lost its steam in punjab so the jiyalas decided to join a new party.Let's see we end up in a naya pakistan or end up in the old pakistan.

Recommend 0

M Jamal

Jul 02, 2015 12:22am

Imran Khan is after power and for this requires no ethics?

Recommend 0

AW MALIK

Jul 02, 2015 12:30am

Good riddance!

Recommend 0

Rashid Ishaq

Jul 02, 2015 12:57am

this guy Samsam seems good to me whenever I saw him in talk shows; God knows rest; but this might be a good addition to PTI

Recommend 0

Sultan Alvi, Canada

Jul 02, 2015 12:58am

The magic of Imran Khan, Ch. Sarwar, Asad Umer and others is working for PTI. PPP's demise picking up speed now. I hope Nooras of Lahore will meet their fate soon.

Recommend 0

bilal

Jul 02, 2015 01:07am

PTI supporters.. this is good. PTI is not strong in Okara. Getting these people will help them make in roads. PTI should take them. They should be careful in taking people from areas where they are strong (such as KPK, Lahore etc).

Recommend 0

Atta Mohyuddin

Jul 02, 2015 01:12am

It's good for PTI to gain people from Punjab & focus on KP is important. If the corruption is gone from people minds & govt then inshAllah PTI will win next elections. Jeay Imran

Recommend 0

Atta Mohyuddin

Jul 02, 2015 01:15am

Good for PTI. We hope all overseas are allowed to vote in next election & it is held under army or Rangers.

Recommend 0

Tariq Amir

Jul 02, 2015 01:43am

@Rakaposhi What about the principles and high idealism of PTI?

Recommend 0

Muhammad

Jul 02, 2015 01:50am

Better PPP is cleansed of these opportunists!

Recommend 0

souchta rehgaya mein

Jul 02, 2015 02:37am

@Syed Ahmed, Canada you share my optimism

Recommend 0

DisparateAamer

Jul 02, 2015 02:55am

It's good. PTI is driving it's grave deeper and deeper.

Recommend 0

Saeeds

Jul 02, 2015 03:15am

PTI start with change and get rid of old politician but new PTI motto get lotas than loto.

Recommend 0

Expat

Jul 02, 2015 03:27am

When PTi does it, it is good for the politics but when someone else does it, it is called lotacracy. What a shame!

Recommend 0

Hashim

Jul 02, 2015 03:28am

PTI !!! Pakistan Turncoat Ittehad. Imran will keep taking these turncoats against whom he used to talk on live TV shows. Now they are all joining his party and he is greeting them with open arms. The sincere PTI workers will see the light soon and will turn against him. He is destroying his own reputation and his party.

Recommend 0

Khan-Haqiqi

Jul 02, 2015 03:53am

NAYA Pakistan with Purana lots . Why Imran didn't believe in his ordinary workers?

Recommend 0

Yasin

Jul 02, 2015 04:05am

PTI is absorbing the dirt of other parties - an opportunity for others to get rid of opportunists and bring fresh blood

Recommend 0

ILYAS KHAN

Jul 02, 2015 04:14am

Why criticize Imran when some one wants to join PTI? We should only criticize when Imran offer a position to some one with corrupt history, otherwise all Pakistanis should be welcomed to join PTI. At end of the day, every political party struggle to increase their vote bank and nothing wrong if PTI do the same.

Recommend 0

Rehan

Jul 02, 2015 04:16am

PTI will take anyone on board. Especially old corrupt politicians and they can teach them a thing or two.

Recommend 0

Nasiroski

Jul 02, 2015 04:16am

Look at all these fine, well fed, dressed in crisp shiny clothes leaders, who want to represent the poor of this country. How can they represent/lead poor when they have no clue of what poor goes through everyday?? where is the labor leader?? the store keeper, the rickshaw driver, the electrician, plumber.... they do not exist in the top brass of these political parties. They cannot solve country's problems.

Recommend 0

Hafiz

Jul 02, 2015 04:20am

Till yesterday this man was a sinner and today he is a saint.

Recommend 0

Conservative

Jul 02, 2015 04:58am

Good for Bokhari, Sohna and others. After being laundered in PTI rap. IK dry cleaning machines they have become M/s Cleans and have had nothing to do with the PPP corruption and bad governance. Congratulation s to IK for having such a powerful detergents and magical dry cleaning facilities. Wishing all the best to Nia Pakistan.

Recommend 0

I'm always right

Jul 02, 2015 05:25am

I'm not against PTI bringing people in from other tested parties but they should look for more credible faces such as Qamar Zaman Kaira instead of people like this.

Recommend 0

Progressing

Jul 02, 2015 06:01am

I am bothered by all this jumping ships,if my memory serves me right,Imran Khan wanted a change,a naya Pakistan,corruption eliminated in 6 months after being elected.I wondered how he planned to do it? where would the naya Pakistan leaders come from? Now when its all said and done or being done,basically all the leaders who joined PTI are from other parties.Most all the politicians have one way or another some issues or bring baggage,can the people of Pakistan all of a sudden trust them? count on them? Are they loyal to the idea of serving the people of Pakistan? Will they jump ships again if PTI loses again? All this seem to sound like a popularity contest,THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE it appears.whatever happens,I pray that whichever party comes in power next,they do whats right and work on making Pakistan what M.A.Jinnah and others had worked so hard for.AMEEN.Maybe,just maybe its time we gave someone else a chance other than PPP and PML-N.

Recommend 0

Omran

Jul 02, 2015 06:24am

PPP is gone boat now...

Recommend 0

Rehan

Jul 02, 2015 07:09am

all the losers joining PTI. They will help them to play the game in this country as they have plenty of experience. How ever after I read the latest statements of IK he has become pretty good in fooling others too.

Recommend 0

Ghazanfar Sanpal

Jul 02, 2015 07:29am

"Bokhari said the PPP had become the ruling PML-N’s "B-team" in Punjab as a result of its policy of reconciliation and its role of a friendly opposition. " I thought you would say about utter corruption and nepotism but I know you can't say this at this point of time.

Recommend 0

JUSTICE

Jul 02, 2015 08:04am

The future of PPP party looks very grim, now their politic is limited to exterior Sind areas only on ethnic basis. People of Pakistan don't trust Asif Zardari because of high level corruption involvement in SIND.

Recommend 0

Jimmy

Jul 02, 2015 08:36am

Sumsam always seemed one of the few decent guys in PPP. Would hopefully be a good addition to PTI.

Recommend 0

Pakman

Jul 02, 2015 08:36am

Jiyo PTI....

Recommend 0

Azmeen

Jul 02, 2015 09:04am

PTI, a popular destination for LOTAS.

Recommend 0

Jul 02, 2015 09:28am

about time.. get rid of Zardari. break up the PPP

Recommend 0

M. Saeed Awan

Jul 02, 2015 09:30am

You are welcome to PTI if you are liar, wealthy, corrupt. Because PTI is striving for CHANGE.

Recommend 0

mohsin

Jul 02, 2015 09:40am

Corruption holder shifting from PPP to PTI. Its good news

Recommend 0

M. Saeed Awan

Jul 02, 2015 09:55am

Both strongly defended Zardari's corruption during the hey days. That was the right time to resign or to raise voice but they kept mum. Secondly Wattoo has no task in PPP but to make it most unpopular party and paving the way for PTI. Bilawal's immaturity is another headache for party leaders. Both Samsung and Sohna munda should stay with PPP....Morality demands thus.

Recommend 0

Euro

Jul 02, 2015 10:08am

As Imran Khan has said for years: these parties are hand in handand have agreed to ruling the country, not by votes alone, but in turns.

Recommend 0

shafeeq

Jul 02, 2015 10:22am

weldone imran khan we are with you and we satisfied from your govt in kpk

Recommend 0

Zaidi

Jul 02, 2015 10:56am

I hope if it does not work, well, it may end up being the last nail in the coffin of reconciliation politics. If the cult politics is the order of the day, why not every succeeding COAS may become Head of the State in a perpetual martial law?

Recommend 0

Tanweer Khan

Jul 02, 2015 03:09pm

"There will be no distinction between old and new members, all those on board the party's manifesto will be treated as equals,". What does this imply? Does it mean that those supporters of PTI that have "worked" for many years, and sacrificed for its' cause, including taking 4 months out of their lives to attend dharnas etc will be side-lined, because some turncoats with local influence joined the party. These new members should at least work for the party for some time to show their commitment before being offered a ticket. So, as a minimum, they should not be eligible for the next general election after joining the party. But then again, using this approach SM Qureshi himself would have been ineligible in 2013 - so no surprise that these turncoats are being embraced. PTI is really playing a dangerous game by allowing all and sundry from other parties to join them. A party that is supposedly trying to clean up the political system in Pakistan should aspire to higher standards.

Recommend 0