DADU: Four senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders in Dadu district on Friday announced their joining of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.
Syed Zaffar Ali Shah, who had decided to contest for the PS-85 Dadu seat as an independent candidate after being denied a PPP ticket, told a press conference at his residence in Pipri that he had now decided to withdraw his candidature in favour of PTI candidate Sardar Ashiq Ali Zounr and also support PTI candidate Karim Ali Jatoi contesting on NA-235 Dadu-Johi.
PTI leader and former Sindh chief minister Liaquat Ali Jatoi was also present at the press conference.
Separately, three other senior PPP leaders from Sehwan — Raees Habibullah Rind, Sardar Hakim Ali Noohani and Sardar Ghulam Nabi Solangi — announced their decision to join PTI.
The three leaders, until now close friends of former Sindh chief minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, held a press conference at the autaq (guest room) of Wadera Ghulam Nabi Solangi in Sehwan on Friday to announce their decision to part ways with the PPP.
They severely criticised the Sindh PPP leadership as well as its office bearers in Sehwan.
Sindh United Party (SUP) convener Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah and Liaquat Jatoi also joined them at the press conference.
Raees Rind, Sardar Noohani and Sardar Solangi told reporters that they had always supported Syed Murad Ali Shah but he did not oblige them when they sought development in their areas. Nor did he help get jobs to the jobless of the area, they added.
They said they had completely been neglected by the Sindh government which compelled them to take such a decision.
They said they would support SUP candidate for PS-80 Sehwan and NA-233 Kotri-Sehwan Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah, who had a seat adjustment agreement with the PTI.
Mr Jatoi told reporters that with the joining of the three senior PPP leaders, the PTI had become stronger in Dadu district.
Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2018