ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif suffered two blows on Friday. Member Punjab Assembly Khurram Leghari late Friday evening backtracked on his decision of parting ways with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and said that he had rather was leading a march to join party leader Imran Khan in PTI’s long march.
Earlier in the day, Leghari had vowed to parting ways with the PTI. While in Centre, Focal Person to Prime Minister on digital media Ahmad Jawad resigned from his post on Friday.
Khurram Leghari, a member of a dissident group within PTI previously led by Jahangir Khan Tareen (JKT), had earlier claimed that five more lawmakers have decided to defect from the PTI. However, later all the MPAs refused to leave the PTI, leaving an embarrassed Leghari to review his decision.
Leghari had informed he might also resign from the Punjab Assembly in the next three to four days. “We were promised one thing but offered the opposite,” lamented the lawmaker.
He also expressed his concerns regarding the Punjab cabinet, saying they should know the criteria for becoming a minister.
Leghari contested in the 2018 general elections as an independent candidate and later joined the PTI. He served as the special assistant to then-chief minister Usman Buzdar but was removed in 2020.
PM’S FOCAL PERSON RESIGNS
Meanwhile, Focal Person Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on digital media Ahmad Jawad resigned from his post on Friday.
Ahmad Jawad in his resignation to the prime minister said: “In a country where the blood is shed unjustly, and the facts never come to the fore. In a country where the ruler is helpless whether it is Imran Khan or you. In a country where the truth means death, and the lie is a key to success. In a country where the narrative of lies is the way to progress, and its buyers are the respected citizens. In a country where slogans like ‘respect the vote’ are limited to the acquisition of power only.”
“The people of such a country, especially the youth, will have to decide what is true and what is false. The hour of decision has come. Listen to your conscience. I invested my precious time and money in search of the truth, and I did my duty for the sake of the country. This country has been deceived many times, and I will not become part of any such deception.”
More resignations to come from PML-N, not PTI
Meanwhile, commenting on the resignation handed over by Ahmad Jawad, focal person of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s social media team, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said: “More resignations will come from PML-N, and not PTI.”
He rejected the possibility of PTI MPAs resigning following Laghari’s departure from the party.
Sardar chunu khan Laghari cheif Laghari Group statement on Khurum khan Laghari Recent statement to leave PTI we support the Sardar chunnu khan Shb 👍 @meherbokhari @ImranRiazKhan @EjazChaudhary @SdqJaan @OmarCheemaPTI @IRKsays @Lalika79 @ImranKhanPTI pic.twitter.com/7bOZ8her4P
— Babar Shahbaz (@BabarShahbaz12) October 28, 2022
“The MPAs, whose names were given, have denied quitting PTI,” he said, adding that earlier Sheikh Rasheed was rumoured to not participate in the long march, but now he is partaking in it.
ہم PTI نہیں چھوڑ رہے ایک اور تردید
pic.twitter.com/QEftxj7OmW— Imran Khan (@ImranRiazKhan) October 28, 2022
He further claimed that at this time, PTI will only be left by the faction that doesn’t want to continue politics in the future.
پاکستان تحریکء انصاف کے ایم پی اے ۔پی پی 273 میاں علمدار عباس قریشی نے پارٹی چھوڑنے یا استعفی دینے کی ایم پی اے خرم لغاری کی باتوں کو بے بنیاد اور انکا زاتی فیصلہ قرار دےدیا ۔میاں علمدار قریشی نے ان سب افواہوں کو پروپنگنڈہ قرار دیتے ہوۓ کہا کہ ہم PTI کے ساتھ شانہ بے شانہ کھڑے pic.twitter.com/OPozNB9c6O
— Qaswar (@qaswarkhore) October 28, 2022
“Only those who want to commit political suicide would leave Imran Khan. Who else would leave otherwise? Unless the rate is too high, which is a separate discussion,” Fawad remarked, stressing that the entire party stands with Khan, as people are with him.
