PML-N, PTI lose three MPAs each

MULTAN/LAHORE: The ruling PML-N suffered another dent as three more MPAs left the party and joined the Janoobi Punjab Sooba Mahaz (JPSM) on Thursday. But it wasn’t a good day for the PTI too after three of its MPAs from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa announced their decision to join the PPP.

Addressing a press conference in Muzaffargarh, MPA Murtaza Rahim Khar from PP-253 (Muzaffargarh-III), MPA Alamdar Abbas Qureshi from PP-255 (Muzaffargarh-V) and MPA Sardar Muhammad Khan Jatoi from PP-259 (Muzaffargarh-IX) announced leaving the PML-N and handed over their resignations to JPSM secretary general Tahir Bashir Cheema.

JPSM secretary general Tahir Bashir Cheema said that they were moving for the creation of south Punjab province to solve the increasing problems being faced by people of the remote region.

He said: “The JPSM is really committed to the creation of south Punjab province.” Tahir Bashir said that the JPSM was struggling for the development and prosperity of the region. He said that they were ready to negotiate with all political parties in the wide interest of the people of the region.

MPA Alamdar Abbas Qureshi said that the people from the far-flung areas repeatedly visited Lahore to get their problems solved but they were not addressed properly. JPSM leaders Basit Sultan Bukhari, Rana Qasim Noon and Samiullah Chaudhry also spoke on the occasion.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, Khar contested the 2013 general elections as an independent candidate and secured 35,269 votes while his rival candidate Muhammad Younis Iqbal of the PML-N bagged 24,536 votes.

Qureshi also contested the elections as an independent candidate and won the slot by securing 47,266 votes while PML-N candidate Malik Farooq Khar secured 22,364 votes. Jatoi contested the elections on a PML-N ticket and won the slot by securing 46,027 votes while PPP candidate Sardar Samiullah Khan Leghari received 40,785 votes.

On Wednesday, three MPAs of the PML-N had resigned from their seats and joined the JPSM. And in Lahore, three PTI MPAs facing the horse-trading allegations in Senate polls joined the PPP, as Zahid Durrani, Ubaid Ullah Mayar and Nagina Khan called on Asif Ali Zardari at Bilawal House and vowed allegiance to him in future.

Talking to media outside Bilawal House, they said the action taken against them by PTI had no importance and they would work as the PPP members in future. Meanwhile, a religious figure from Charsadda also called on Zardari and joined the PPP.