MANSEHRA, Dec 18: Azam Khan Swati's quitting the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) and joining the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf could trigger more changes on the political scene here, which might affect the popularity of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz in the district. Besides, the development has also alerted the Pakistan Muslim League-Q to get support of the local stalwarts.

While most of the loyalists of Mr Swati have already joined the PTI, his younger brother MNA Laiq Mohammad Khan has announced to live and die with the JUI-F.

Local political observers claim that Mr Swati has no political vision and his changing political parties would affect his political carrier. They recall that Mr Swati first became district nazim in the early days of former president Pervez Musharraf with the support of Jamaat-i-Islami and later he joined the JUI-F to become senator.

Sardar Mohammad Yousaf's is another strong political group as he had been elected MNA for four times in past, including once on a PML-N ticket. He later joined the PML-Q when Nawaz Sharif was exiled along with his family.

Mr Yusuf's son Sardar Shahjahan Yousaf was included in the cabinet as minister of state when the PML-Q joined the coalition government last year. The PML-N, which had refused to take the Sardar group including MPA Wajeeuzaman Khan, back into its fold was now under pressure to come to the negotiating table with the Sardar group following the increasing influence of the PTI in Mansehra.

“We are in contact with the Sardar, but it will be premature to say anything about any development,” said a local PML-N leader on condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, sources said that former contender of the PML-N from PK-53, Mansehra-1, Babar Saleem Swati would soon join the PTI following his rift with a local PML-N leader.