PTI defectors announce Democrats group

FAisalabad/Lahore _PTI’s Insaf Youth Wing Sindh’s Senior Vice President Advocate Jahangir Akbar Urbani and Divisional President Adeel Ahmad Hali along with 38 other party members have relinquished not only their party seats but have also resigned from the basic membership of the party,

Addressing a press conference at Larkana Press Club, they said they strongly condemned acts of violence witnessed on May 9. They further said they were disillusioned with the PTI because Sindh was nowhere on the party’s priority list.

LAHORE (Dunya News) – Like-minded members who quit the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have announced to form a new group called ‘Democrats’ instead of joining any other party.

A meeting of like-minded members who parted ways with the PTI was held under the chairmanship of Dr Murad Raas and Hashim Dogar — who were part of the cabinet in the Buzdar-led Punjab government — in which the name of the group was finalised.

It was decided in the meeting that the like-minded members will not make any contact or join Jahangir Khan Tareen group for now. The members will keep their separate identity as Democrats. The identity of the members joining the group will not be revealed. The group will not be registered in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) either.

Dr Murad Raas, an important member of the Democrats group, said that they would make their identity as a separate group. He said they would not join the Pakistan Muslim League-Q, Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). He said they were in touch with all the people.

Earlier on Saturday, amid political activities ongoing in Lahore, former Azad Jammu and Kashmir prime minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas had a meeting with Jahangir Khan Tareen.
During the meeting, the two leaders discussed the future political scenario. Faisal Hayat Jiwana and Ajmal Cheema of Tareen Group also joined the meeting.

Later, Sardar Tanveer Ilyas while talking to media, said that a good news was on the way for PTI members looking for a position of leadership in other parties. “You will hear good news in days to come. Our understanding with Jahangir Tareen is that we will move forward together,” he said.

He said several meetings had been held in the last few days. Mr ilyas said he also had meetings with Chaudhry Shujaat and Amir Jamaat-e-Islami Sirajul Haq.
Responding to a question, Ilyas said work was underway regarding the formation of a new party.

“There will be no separate group and all people will be together in one place.” On this occasion, Numan Langriyal said that the events of May 9 should be condemned vehemently.
“A lot of people have contacted us. We will welcome those who leave PTI and its ideology,” he added.

Senior politician and former leader of Tehreek-e-Insaf Jahangir Tareen has also convened an important meeting of close associates in Lahore today to hold consultations.
Inclusion of new members, besides formation of a new political party will be discussed in the meetings.

It should be noted that Jahangir Tareen had met other political leaders including Firdous Ashiq Awan in the past few days.

Political personalities from Gujranwala, Hafizabad join PPP,

Three political personalities this time from Gujranwala and Hafizabad  joined the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Saturday after meeting former president Asif Ali Zardari in the provincial capital.

Two of them  Chaudhry Ali Ashraf Warraich and Chaudhry Haris Miran – are from Gujranwala while Chaudhry Ansar belongs to the Jalalpur Bhattian area of Hafizabad.

Mr Zardari, who is also the PPP co-chairman, reached Lahore on Tuesday as the seasoned politician eyes inducting more and more politicians from Punjab amid the disarray the PTI is in while focusing on the upcoming general elections.

The PPP leadership aims at a strong comeback in Punjab – the country’s most populace province – after witnessing a decline in the party’s fortunes since 2013 polls.

Earlier, several big names – including Rasool Bakhsh Jatoi, Qutab Fareed Koreja, Sardar Shamshir Mazari, and Mian Alamdar Qureshi – from southern Punjab opted to join the PPP ranks.

But the trend is not limited to Punjab as Usman Khan Tarakai – a former MNA from Swabi – and Jawad Hussain – who was elected as National Assembly member from Orakzai – also switched their affiliations in favour of the PPP. Previously, they were part of the PTI.