RAWALPINDI: Former provincial minister Mohammad Basharat Raja on Friday parted his ways with Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) and joined Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI).

He started his political career with Pakistan People’s Party in 70s but later joined PML led by Nawaz Sharif. He remained with PML-N till military coup of Pervez Musharraf in 1999 and joined PML-Q.

He worked as a law minister in Pervaiz Ellahi cabinet in Punjab. He also contested election in 2008 and 2013 on PML-Q ticket but faced defeat from PML-N candidates.

Talking to Dawn, Mohammad Baharat Raja said that he would contest election from PP-14 on PTI ticket. He said the people of his constituency wanted to elect a local candidate to represent them on assembly floor. He said that he has been going into people to beg vote with slogan of change.

He said that PTI would bring change in the society and the people would support the agenda of the PTI.
He said that he would contest provincial assembly seat and withdraw the nomination papers he filed for NA-63 and NA-59.

The parliamentary committee of PTI has also taken back party ticket it had given to Zayad Khalique Kiyani for PP-14 and awarded to Basharat Raja.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Basharat Raja and two other candidates of PTI have submitted their party tickets to returning officers concerned at District Courts Rawalpindi.

The other two candidates were included Amir Kiyani and Umer Tanvir Butt, who are contesting general elections from NA-61 and PP-15 respectively.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2018