RAWALPINDI: Former MPA Shehryar Riaz on Friday quit PML-N to join the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

Shehryar Riaz is the son of Babu Mohammad Riaz, an ex-nazim of UC-2 and belongs to Dhoke Ratta. His father was an influential local politician till his death.

Mr Riaz developed problems with local party leaders when the PML-N ticket was given to Sardar Naseem and not him in the 2013 elections.

Talking to Dawn, he said that he joined the PTI in order to work with Imran Khan on his agenda to make the country corruption free.

“I left PML-N as corruption was the top priority for the local leaders of the Nawaz-led party and I did not fit in a group of such people,” he claimed.Mr Riaz said the ruling party had appointed the city mayor without consulting party workers and that local leaders impose their decisions.

He said the PTI had assured him that due rights will be given to workers and the common man and that he had joined the party for the sake of his supporters who want to bring a change in the country.

“I will contest elections from the city areas on the PTI ticket and the party has assured me it will accommodate me in the elections,” he said.

PTI Punjab North President Amir Kiani told Dawn that his party now has a popular local leader of the PML-N and that more people will be joining PTI in the coming days.

He said Mr Riaz will be a good addition in the party, which believes in bringing in people with a good reputation.

However, he said, party tickets will be given based on the decision of the parliamentary board, which will be on merit and that the party has not promised a ticket to anyone.

A senior PML-N leader told Dawn that Mr Riaz had tried to join PTI in 2013 when the party refused him a ticket for the provincial assembly elections. However, he said, the party accommodated him in other ways and asked him to prepare for the next elections, but he did not take interest.

PML-N Rawalpindi Secretary General Haji Pervaiz said the party was not affected by Mr Riaz’ leaving as it is a big party and because the former MPA had not been an active member the past five years. He said the PTI will also not give him the party ticket and that it will prefer giving tickets to its sitting MPA Ijaz Khan or Rashid Hafeez.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2018