SWABI: Swabi Qaumi Mahaz (SQM) chairman MPA Babar Salim is expected to announce joining Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz during the scheduled public meeting of the party in Peshawar on Feb 4, sources in the two parties told Dawn here on Sunday.

Mr Babar is son of late Dr Mohammad Salim, founder of SQM which was established soon after he along with former forest minister Awwal Sher Khan, MPAs Abdul Majid Khan and Asmatullah and various other heavyweights quit Awami National Party over a ticket award row before the 1997 general elections.

When Babar was deserted by majority of SQM stalwarts he displayed political maturity and joined the then Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan (AJIP), a political party of provincial health minister Shahram Khan Tarakai, and contested election on AJIP ticket in 2013 general elections, joining hands with influential Tarakai family.

However, he later broke up with AJIP over award of a ministerial slot.

Sources said Babar’s negotiations with the PML-N leaders had been continuing for last few months as he had met PML-N provincial president Amir Muqam in Peshawar three times.

It is learnt that MNA Capt retired Mohammad Safdar had also met him in Islamabad, persuading him to join the PML-N.

The sources said Mr Babar’s possible joining of the League was also discussed with the party’s district president and MPA Shiraz Khan, general secretary Dildar Khan and others by Mr Muqam.

The sources said Mr Babar would discuss the matter with the SQM leaders and workers before joining the PML-N.

“We are with Babar Salim whether he joins PML-N or any other party,” Tehsil Swabi Nazim Wahid Shah said.

When contacted, Mr Babar said: “All the options have been discussed with the PML-N leaders.”

A PML-N leader said Babar was expected to announce his joining of the party at the Peshawar meeting in the presence of PML-N president Nawaz Sharif.

ROOF COLLAPSE KILLS TWO: Two women of an Afghan family were killed when the veranda of a mud-house collapsed in the Gandaf refugee camp in Topi tehsil, police said on Sunday.

Wali Rehman, head of the ill-fated family, told mediapersons that the incident occurred at night. He said his wife and sister were taking eatables to the sleeping room when the veranda collapsed burying them alive.

Soon after the incident, announcements were made in the camp appealing to the people to reach the house and take part in the rescue operation. However, people failed to save the two women and recovered the bodies from the debris.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2018