As the crackdown against the embattled opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party continues, ex-members and ticket holders from southern Punjab have announced that they are quitting the former ruling party joining the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Express News reported. A meeting was held at the Bilawal House in Lahore where former president Asif Ali Zardari met with senior PPP leader Yousaf Raza Gilani and other party leaders as well as the new members. On the occasion, former MNA Qutub Farid Koreja, Raees Akmal Warran from PP-265, Sardar Shamsher Mazari, Syed Qasim Ali Shamsi from PP-279, Farheen Batool, Abdul Aziz Kallank from PP-278, former MPA Rasool Bakhsh Jatoi from PP-269, Peer Jafar Muzammil Shah from PP-277, Sardar Allah Wasaya from PP-273, Muhammad Alamdar Abbas Qureshi from NA-179, and Malik Abdul Ghaffar Arain announced their inclusion in the PPP. Asif Ali Zardari held a political meeting at Bilawal House in Lahore. More than 20 politicians of Tehreek-e-Insaf from South Punjab joined the People's Party. pic.twitter.com/tgf2w1lSsR — Majid_Ali_Mughal 🔺 (@MajidMughal01) May 31, 2023 Furthermore, Syed Jameel Shah, Syed Rashid Shah, Sheikh Dilshad Ahmed, Bilal Mustafa, Syed Tahseen Nawaz, Mian Ali Haider Wattoo, Mian Salman Ayub, Mian Aamir Haider Wattoo, Ilyas Khan, Amjad Khan Niazi, Muzammil Khan, Omar Masood Farooqi and others who belong to the PP-209 constituency of southern Punjab, also announced their inclusion in the PPP after meeting with the former president. Read No respite for PTI leaders as crackdown continues On Tuesday, Zardari arrived via a private plane in Lahore, where he is expected to stay for several days and actively engage in political activities. The development comes as many prominent leaders and workers continue to leave PTI, which ran into trouble following violent protests and arson attacks after PTI chief Imran Khan was arrested by paramilitary Rangers on the orders of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) from the Islamabad High Court premises in the £190 million National Crime Agency case on May 9. Rioters vandalised civilian infrastructure and military installations, and even attacked the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi and the Lahore Corps Commander’s residence, also known as Jinnah House. In the aftermath of the widespread rioting and protests following Khan’s arrest, several party leaders including Fawad Chaudhry, Asad Umar, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmeen Rashid, Shireen Mazari, Maleeka Bukhari, and Fayyazul Hassan Chauhan were taken into custody. Also read Imran moves SC against 'undeclared martial law' Many prominent PTI leaders including Fawad Chaudhry, Imran Ismail, Shireen Mazari, Fayyazul Hassan Chauhan, Firdous Ashiq Awan, and others have quit PTI. Asad Umar, one of the closest aides of the former premier, relinquished his posts of the secretary general and core committee member, citing the ongoing situation. His announcement came hours after Fawad Chaudhry, another close confidante of Imran quit the PTI. On the other hand, according to some other media reports, senior PTI leaders Dr Yasmin Rashid and Mehmoodur Rasheed have expressed their continued support for Imran Khan, reiterating their commitment to remain with the party.
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