LAHORE: Leaders from various political parties held a meeting with former president Asif Ali Zardari at Peoples House in Multan and announced joining the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Thursday.

Among the prominent leaders who joined the PPP are former PML-N MPAs from Rahim Yar Khan - Mian Islam Aslam, Sardar Muhammad Nawaz Khan Rind and his son Sardar Qamaruddin Khan Rind - besides former chairman of Municipal Committee in Rahim Yar Khan Mian Shehzad Anwar, former MPA from Bahawalnagar Mian Muhammad Ali Laleka, Rao Najibur Rehman, Rao Azizur Rehman and Chaudhry Iftikhar Ahmad, Muhammad Ayub Sindila and Imran Sindila.

The leaders expressed their confidence in the leadership of Mr Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, PPP chairman, and said that they would work for the welfare of the people and the development of the country under the banner of the PPP.

Mr Zardari welcomed the new entrants to PPP and said that PPP was the only party that represented the aspirations of the people of Pakistan.

He said that the PPP would continue to struggle for the restoration of democracy, the supremacy of the constitution, and the rights of the provinces.

He also said that PPP would emerge as the largest party in the next general elections and would form the government at the centre and in the provinces.

Published in Dawn, January 5th, 2024