FAISALABAD: A Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader aspiring for a provincial assembly ticket in the 2018 poll is luring voters to join the PTI and become part of a draw for 50 residential plots to be given to new entrants to the party.

One can see banners displayed along both tracks of main Sargodha Road for a couple of days, inviting people to become a PTI member to be a part of a “lucky draw” for 50 two-and-a-half marla residential plots for new entrants.

However, these banners, displayed by Mian Oze, a PML-Q turncoat who has joined PTI, don’t mention where the promised plots are situated.

As per the banners, the lucky draw will be held on April 27.

Besides a large picture of chairman Imran Khan, the banners also carry the photographs of former Punjab governor and PTI senator Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar, ex-senior Punjab minister Raja Riaz Ahmed, Asad Moazam and Faizullah Kamoka (both got elected MPAs on the Pakistan Peoples Party ticket), former Madina Town nazim Ali Akhtar (younger brother of former Punjab minister and leader of the PML-Q Chaudhry Zahir-du-Din), Farrukh Habib, the deputy secretary general of the PTI and some others.

Raja Riaz, a leader of the PPP, had been senior minister of Punjab in the last tenure of Shahbaz Sharif as chief minister. He later switched over to the PTI after developing differences with the PPP leadership.

Reacting to the tactic, a PTI worker, Abid Ali said luring voters to party by offering them plots was condemnable, demanding the party leadership must take action against the ticket-seeker for resorting to such corrupt practices.

He regretted that such ploys to lure voters damaged the image of the entire party.

Ahmed Ali, a computer science student and supporter of the PTI has serious reservations to inclusion of turncoats in the party.

“Workers are already not happy with the partyleadership who has been preferring turncoats to staunch workers and even pioneers who had joined hands with Imran Khan for change,” he said.

Such practices would provide an opportunity to rival parties to criticise the PTI, he added.

Farrukh Habib did not reply Dawn’s queries sent to his mobile phone for his comments.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2018