ISLAMABAD: Falling like dominoes, more PPP former lawmakers joined the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday, confirming that for all practical purposes, future electoral battles in Punjab will be fought between the ruling PML-N and PTI.

The new entrants hail from all corners of Punjab. Tariq Anees and Dost Mohammad Mazari, the two former MNAs who formally announced their decision to join the PTI’s ranks on Thursday, come from the northern-most and southern-most districts of Punjab, while others from districts along the Grand Trunk (GT) Road may bolster PTI’s chances of success in the upcoming local government elections.

PPP’s former minister of state for housing Mr Anees — who hails from Narowal — and the young former lawmaker from Rajanpur, Mr Mazari, met the PTI chief at his Bani Gala residence to pledge their loyalty.

The Chaudhrys of Jhelum, too, have decided to put their political eggs in the PTI’s basket. Former PML-Q federal minister Chaudhry Shehbaz Hussain and two-time Jhelum district nazim Chaudhry Farrukh Altaf have also joined. Though the latter wasn’t there in person, he ‘attended’ the event via telephone.

Others who joined the PTI on Thursday hailed from the districts of Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Sheikhupura and Kasur. Talking to Dawn, a PTI insider said the new entrants were part of the party’s reorganisation plan, under former Punjab governor Mohammad Sarwar.

Former PML-Q provincial minister from Gujranwala Dr Sohail Zafar Cheema, Umar Aftaab Dhillon from Sheikhupura — nephew of former PML-N stalwart Brig Zulfiqar Dhillon — Barrister Shahid Mehmood from Kasur, Rana Mumtaz Joya from Faisalabad and Chaudhry Ali Akhtar and Dr Shafique from Narowal were also present on the occasion.

Welcoming the politicians, PTI national organiser Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that while the PTI was already a truly national party, with the joining of these diverse individuals, all other parties had been confined to a regional level.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2015

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