LAHORE: The PPP has played down the joining of its Senator Babar Awan joining the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), saying mr Awan had left the PPP the day he had refused to appear as witness in then prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani case in 2011.

“Mr Awan’s decision doesn’t matter (for the party) as he had abandoned the party the day he declined to appear for (then) prime minister Gilani in the Supreme Court in the NRO implementation case,” PPP information secretary Chaudhry Manzoor said here on Friday. He criticised the former federal law minister for repeatedly changing political loyalties, saying that Mr Awan ditched every party that adopted him. He said Mr Awan is not brave enough to admit his political betrayal.

“He continued to remain within the PPP folds just for the sake of his Senate seat and his conscience woke up only months before his Senate term would end.” He said Mr Awan was the last keepsake of the elements that joined the PPP after 1986.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2017