SARGODHA: Former minister of state for religious affairs and interfaith harmony Pir Muhammad Aminul Hasnat Shah parted ways with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and joined the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) along with his followers on Saturday.

He announced the decision after having a meeting with senior leadership of the PTI, including Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry.

In a news conference at Bhera, some 45km from here, he was all praise for Maulana Noorul Haq Qadri, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Asad Umar and said that he had joined the PTI due to the persuasion and motivation of these leaders.

He also supported the vision of PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

Answering a question about his switchover to the PTI, Shah said: “As time passes, new information comes to light.”

He referred to Qureshias a `leader’ in his family. Reciprocating, Quershi also praised Shah’s experience as a politician and his stature as a spiritual leader.

The PTI leader said that he had a “long-standing spiritual relationship” with Hasnat Shah and his joining the PTI would make the party stronger in Sargodha.

Shah was elected MNA in 2013 election on PML-N ticket from NA-64 (Sargodha -I).

Speaking on the occasion, Fawad Chaudhry said Pir Hasnat Shah’s entry into the PTI was very important as the religious leader’s family has been associated with politics since 1906 and has spiritual as well as political following all over Pakistan. Pir Hasnat Shah is the son of Justice Pir Muhammad Karam Shah Al-Azhari, a Barelvi sect leader and author of Tafseer Ziaul Quran.

Pir Muhammad Karam Shah was elevated as judge of the Federal Shariat Court in 1981 for being an expert of Islamic law.

Published in Dawn, January 22th, 2023