LAHORE, June 28: The Pakistan Awami Tehrik received a serious setback on Tuesday when its president Anwaar Alvi and senior vice-president Iqbal Mahmood Awan joined the PPP.

At a news conference here, they said the PPP was the only party having its roots in the masses and its leaders and workers’ commitment with the party had impressed them.

PPP leaders Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Jehangir Badr, Qasim Zia, Khalid Kharal, Malik Mushtaq Awan, Munawwar Anjum and Iqbal Sialvi were also present.

Before announcing his decision, Mr Alvi informed PAT chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri by phone in Canada.

He said at the news conference that they had joined the PPP at a time when the PAT had reached a stage that nobody could accuse them of having left it. This ostensibly meant that the PAT had become dormant and had no future.

Mr Awan said many other parties wanted them to be in their folds, but they preferred the PPP as it was a better party for struggle for democracy.

He said the PAT and the PPP had been together in the Pakistan Awami Ittehad and the Grand Democratic Alliance because of which they already had identical views on many issues.

“From the PAT’s platform you have been talking of ‘Mustafavi inquilab’ but you have now joined a party which is not willing to join hands with religious parties, let alone the Islamic revolution. How will you defend your decision in the wake of such a yawning gap between the two positions”? asked a reporter.

Mr Awan said in fact Islamic socialism of the PPP and the ‘Mustafavi Inquilab’ were one and the same thing. He said the PPP was not opposed to religious parties, but it was averse only to their rigidity.

Answering another question, Mr Awan said the PAT had been made one of the so many wings of the Idara-i-Minhajul Quran because of which it had become politically inactive.

In his opinion the election commission could even de-register the PAT just on this ground.

Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Mr Badr and Mr Zia welcomed the PAT leaders’ decision to join the PPP.

Mr Badr said a number of PPP leaders who had left the party were now approaching the leadership to come back. But, he said, the party would not compromise on its principles.

He said ‘skilled’ party workers would be welcome to join the PPP.