TOBA TEK SINGH, Sept 15: Newly-appointed Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) Chairman Chaudhry Amjad Ali Warraich says he parted his ways from the Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) after the party refused him ticket for a by-election for PP-59 (Samundri) and fielded Chaudhry Mazhar Gill instead.

Mr Warraich, while addressing an iftar reception hosted by Chaudhry Munawwar Kallo on Sunday night, said that Mr Gill was the weakest candidate while he (Warraich) gained 20,000 votes as an independent candidate.

He said the PML-N had also contacted him in the presidential election campaign and he had met Nawaz Sharif, Chaudhry Nisar Ali and Ishaq Dar. He said he had demanded some “suitable office” in the provincial government but the PML-N refused to meet his demand.

Later, Punjab Senior Minister Raja Riaz arranged his meeting with Pakistan People’s Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari wherein Mr Zardari promised him the PMDC chairman office in return for votes of his wife, MNA Farkhanda Amjad and his brother, MPA Chaudhry Bilal Warraich, to Mr Zardari.

He said he was grateful to Mr Zardari for fulfilling his promise. He said that he would not receive any salary and would make the PMDC a corruption-free institution. —Correspondent