PPP’s Raja Riaz close to joining PTI

‘Announcement likely to be made at PTI jalsa on May 20’

LAHORE: Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) leader Raja Riaz Ahmad is considering joining the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI), sources privy to the development in both parties have told The Express Tribune.

A senior PPP leader said that Raja Riaz, a former minister and leader of opposition in the provincial Assembly, had been upset about the party leadership’s attitude with him. “A few weeks ago he [Riaz] hinted to me that he was considering joining the PTI a few weeks at a meeting at his residence,” he said.

The senior leader said that in order to discuss his reservations about the party leadership Riaz had tried to get an appointment with PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari but in vain. Instead, he said, Bilawal had reprimanded Riaz at a recent meeting of the party’s organising committee for central Punjab. “He’s known because of his association with the PPP. The PTI will treat him like it has treated Ashraf Sohna,” the PPP leader said.

Another PPP leader who attended the organising committee meeting said the party jiyalas would distribute sweets over Riaz’s decision to leave the party. He said the party chairman had sought immediate steps to reach out to the grassroots. He said it was decided in the meeting that a new leadership would soon be announced for the party’s Faisalabad chapter.

A PTI MPA said Imran Khan was likely to announce Riaz’s decision of joining of the party at the party’s public gathering scheduled to be held in Faisalabad on May 20.

Raja Riaz had been elected as an MPA from PP 65 (Faisalabad) in 2008.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2016.