SWABI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has suffered a setback in Swabi after two influential families have decided to quit the provincially ruling party and join the Pakistan Muslim League-N, Dawn learnt here on Tuesday.

Sources said a few days back Amir Muqam, adviser to the prime minister, had held a detailed meeting with the families of Jan Badar Khan and Shiraz Akram Bacha, where conditions for joining the PML-N were finalised. Both the families are associated with tobacco growing and cigarette manufacturing business.

Jan Badar had remained adviser to former chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, late Mufti Mehmood. He also remained associated with PPP and QWP.

Shiraz Bacha’s father, late Said Akram Bacha, was runner-up in a provincial assembly constituency in the 1998 general elections. His family supported Shahram Khan in the previous three elections.

Jehanzeb Badar, son of Jan Badar, was runner-up in the 2002 general elections, and in 2008, he withdrew in favour of sitting MNA Usman Khan Tarakai from NA-12, Swabi-1.

PML-N district president Iftikhar Ahmad Khan and general secretary Dildar Khan said that an announcement in this connection would be made in a public meeting in Shewa Adda on Feb 3.

When contacted, Jehanzeb Badar said they had joined PTI with hopes that its leadership would work for the welfare of people.

“But all our hopes have been shattered by immature approach and frequently changed policies of PTI leadership. We are no longer part of the ruling party which has failed to deliver,” he said.

At the meeting with Mr Muqam, Jan Badar had demanded provision of gas to the people, which the former promised to provide, said the sources, adding the decision of the two families was a great boost for PML-N.

Political analysts believe that Shahram Khan Tarakai’s family would confront difficulties because the two families belonged to his constituency.

Published in Dawn January 25th, 2017