Imran invites Mumtaz Bhutto to join PTI

Imran Khan on Monday extended an invitation to Sindh National Front chief Mumtaz Bhutto to join the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Khan made the offer on his visit to Bhutto’s residence along with senior PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

The PTI chief was visiting the former Sindh governor’s residence to offer condolences on the demise of his elder brother.

Commenting on Khan’s offer to join the PTI while addressing media personnel following the visit, the politician sought some time for consulting with senior leaders of his party.

Bhutto criticised Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) patron-in-chief and former president Asif Ali Zardari, calling him a symbol of corruption. He said Zardari’s claims of rooting out corruption surprise him.

Qureshi while speaking to the media said that Sindh’s people were calling for a change and are waiting for an alternative force which could solve their issues. He added that the PTI tour has made the province’s people optimistic and that they look up to Khan as their saviour.

Further discussing the Dawn Leaks report, he called for the government to make the report public. “Or the propaganda being disseminated to the outside world would damage the country’s credibility which is already at stake.”

The senior PTI official and MNA also disapproved of the ‘secret meeting’ between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Indian steel tycoon Sajjan Jindal. He said the meeting has raised doubts of Pakistanis already confused with Nawaz’s policies.

Former Sindh governor, also a first cousin of PPP founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Mumtaz Bhutto recently parted ways with the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) for not taking interest in problems of Sindh’s people. He claimed that the PML-N’s callous attitude disheartened the people.

Bhutto merged his party the Sindh National Front (SNF) with the PML-N before the 2013 general elections despite reservations of his followers. The party, now back to square one, is considering forging an alliance or joining a party after consulting with his cabinet before the 2017 general election.