MARDAN/LAKKI MARWAT, Nov 19: A large number of PPP workers in Mardan and several elders in Lakki Marwat on Monday joined the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf.

PPP workers hailing from Gumbat area of Mardan city announced quitting the party and joined the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf at a function. They expressed full confidence in the leadership of PTI chief Imran Khan. Former PTI provincial chief Asad Qaiser was chief guest.

While speaking on the occasion, Asad Qaiser claimed Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf was the only party in Pakistan which had the potential to free the country from the ‘US slavery’. He further claimed the PTI would uproot the prevailing rotten political culture and introduce real democracy in Pakistan. “We will make the Pakistan’s foreign policy sovereign and it will be free from American or other western countries’ dictation,” he added.

After coming into power, the PTI would carry out across the board accountability and would take back looted money from corrupt people, vowed Mr Asad Qaiser.

Meanwhile, several elders of Zangikhel village of Lakki Marwat also announced to join Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf with the aim to strengthen the party in the backward district under the leadership of Imran Khan.

A former councillor Malik Abdul Rauf, Asmatullah and Sarfraz along with their supporters made announcements at a public meeting which was addressed by PTI central executive council member Khan Bahadar, Hakim Asghar, Raees Khan and Mohammad Javed Anwar. The PTI leaders alleged that local Khans and traditional politicians were responsible for the backwardness of Lakki district. They said that Khans-cum-political elite always deceived people and grabbed their votes by making false promises.

They said that youths should bring real face of traditional politicians before people so that they could not be deceived in coming elections.

Meanwhile, speaking at a press conference in Ghaznikhel house, the PTI local leaders Hakim Asghar, Fidaullah, Shoaib Khan, Sanamgul and others strongly reacted to a statement of a local PTI leader Salim Nawaz published in an Urdu language daily carrying names of expected candidates for the coming elections.

They said Salim Nawaz wanted to damage the party at the behest of an influential political family of the district and demanded of the central leadership to initiate action against him.