LAHORE - Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf enjoys the silent support of the rebel and sidelined PPP cadres of Southern Punjab, as PTI’s recent public moot in Multan, under the name of ‘Save Pakistan Movement’, was backed by the stated PPP ranks, TheNation has learnt.
Insiders in the PTI, privy to party’s top leadership’s contacts with meaningful political personalities of the PPP hailing from Southern Punjab, told this scribe on Wednesday that recent fusion of some former PPP parliamentarians into the PTI from Southern Punjab was the result of the efforts of the rebel and sidelined leaders.
The insiders added that the stated PPP ranks also supported PTI’s recent public meeting held in Multan, which was held with an aim to oust the current government for steering the country out of the serious crises both internal and external.
They maintained that prominent PPP figures from Southern Punjab would announce joining the ranks of Imran Khan when the time comes, while the time would come soon. In the recent shuttle, former PPP parliamentarian, Noor Khan Bhabha from Vehari along with former district leaders including several nazims and naib nazims.
The others who joined PTI in Multan include Murtaza Gilani, Hassan Gilani and Karim Qureshi reportedly belongs to PPP’s local cadres of Southern Punjab. While, the insiders informed that some of the supporters of prime minister’s camp also assured Imran Khan of their support during his recent visit to Multan.
They further informed that some of the members of dissident PPP leader Shah Memood Qureshi’s camp expected to join the PTI soon.
PTI insiders maintained that some of the important members of Khosa tribe of Dera Ghazi Khan were in contact with their party’s high command and the same Khosas were also running a silent campaign to convince the angry PPP cadres of their town to join hands with Imran.
While they further maintained that some of the local leaders of Dera Ghazi Khan were working on Amjad Farooq Khosa, an independent MPA from PP-242, cousin of PML-N leader Zulfikar Khan Khosa for bringing him into the PTI. It is merit mentioning here, Mazari tribe chieftain, former caretaker prime minister and PPP leader of Dera Ghazi Khan, Sardar Balekh Sher Mazari reportedly not happy with the conduct of the current PPP leadership, besides the fact that his grandson Mir Dost Muhammad Mazari was PPP’s MNA from NA-175, Rajanpur.
It has been learnt that some of the local chieftains who were aligned with Imran Khan, making efforts to get the support of Sardar Balekh Sher Mazari for the PTI. While some local leaders of Dera Ghazi claimed that Sardar Balekh Sher Mazari was also approached by the PML-N’s top leadership, however the chieftain of Mazari tribe and veteran politician still weighing his options.
Some local leaders of PPP’s dissidents hailing from Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Bahawalpur, Vehari and Leyyah talking with The Nation maintained that the current PPP leadership left them directionless and they don’t see good future for the PPP in the next general elections, while the rising popularity graph of Imran Khan hints at the strong possibilities of PTI as a major denting force in the next polls.
They, while dispelling the impression that the PTI was an urban party remarked that Imran Khan was equally popular in the rural areas, especially in those rural belts where the people had access to the private media sources to inform themselves about what’s happening on the political scene of the country.
When contacted, Umer Sarfaraz Cheema, central spokesman of the PTI neither denied nor confirmed the party’s increasing activities in Southern Punjab and said that they were in contact with several prominent figures of Southern Punjab including the PPP. However, he added that it would not be appropriate to make public the name of any the political figure at this moment, while the political heavyweights who were in contact with the PTI comes to limelight when they join Imran Khan.
about a year ago, I thought it might take Pti another 5-6 years to come into power but now i genuinely think we could win and form government in next election which are likely to be held before senate election in march.
