MUZAFFARGARH,: The Pakistan People Party (PPP) ticket holder in the last general election and son of ex-minster Abdul Qayyum Jatoi, Daud Khan Jatoi, on Friday called on the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran khan at the latter’s Zaman Pak, Lahore, residence and joined the PTI.

Daud Jatoi, who had contested the last (2018) general election on a PPP ticket and bagged more than 50,000 votes, accompanied his cousin, PTI MPA Moazzam Jatoi, to PTI chairman’s residence.

After meeting with Mr Khan, Daud Jatoi announced he would contest the next general election from the PTI platform and “work according to the vision of Imran Khan”.

Giving reason for his decision, Daud Jatoi said the people need Imran Khan as prime minister to steer Pakistan out of the prevailing crises.

However, Daud’s father Abdul Qayyum Jatoi, an old PPP loyalist, did not comment on the development so far.

Daud Jatoi’s defection is being scene as a big jolt to the PPP in the district where he was the party’s only candidate belonging to a politically influential family, as both Bukahri and Gopang groups are already in the PML-N (PDM).

Meanwhile, the PPP local cadre criticised junior Jatoi’s move.

A local PPP activist, Shehzad Shafi, said Qayyum Jatoi and his son had left PPP many times, but they would ultimately contest elections on the party’s ticket. He hoped that this time Mr Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would only give ticket to a PPP loyalist.

PPP district secretary general Mazhar Pahore said that PPP gave a lost of respect to Jatoi group but they deceived the party.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2022