Shifting loyalty: Babar Awan jumps PPP ship to join Imran

PPP spokesman dubs him a political turncoat

Senator Babar Awan announced on Friday he is joining Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), thereby ending his two-decade-long association with the PPP.

“I had a challenge confronting me whether to remain a senator for another year or join the country’s real opposition party,” Awan told media persons at his residence in Islamabad.

He was accompanied by PTI chief Imran Khan and senior PTI leaders.

“Allah guided me towards the right path. And today after 21 years long association, I announce to resign from basic membership of PPP,” he said. He added that he had submitted his resignation with the Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani.

He claimed that Imran Khan would be the next prime minister.

Awan served as law minister during the previous tenure of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). But he parted ways with the party following his differences with Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.



Awan recently got close to the PTI chief, becoming one of his attorneys in the Panamagate case.

Reacting to this development, a PPP spokesperson said Awan had parted ways with the party the day he refused to testify before the Supreme Court in favour of former Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani. The spokesperson said Awan had revealed his true colours during the NRO Implementation case.

“Awan can best be exemplified as a political turncoat in contemporary politics of Pakistan,” the spokesperson said.

He reminded that Babar Awan was among those who had distributed sweets when Bhutto was hanged and a lot of such politicians had joined and quit PPP.

“His departure will not affect the party,” he said.

He alleged that Babar Awan remained part of the PPP till now because of perks and privileges he enjoyed as a member of the Senate.



Earlier, addressing a press conference PTI chief Imran Khan welcomed Awan into the party fold.

Khan said that Panamagate was a landmark case that had exposed institutions.

He said only the Army and Supreme Court had emerged as credible institutions while others had been paralysed by ‘Godfather’. He said the Sharifs also used government ads to buy loyalties of some media houses and one such media house, owned by Mir Shakilur Rehman, was presenting Sharif, who has been facing charges of money laundering and tax evasion, as Nelson Mandela.

“I don’t want you [Rehman] to give us coverage. I only request you not to support a criminal,” Khan said.

He said he appreciated Babar Awan and Sheikh Rashid for openly challenging mafias.

Talking about the Saudi-Qatar crisis, he said the Saudi envoy had recently maintained that his country was unaware that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had recently visited Saudi Arabia to mediate between Doha and Riyadh.



“After this statement, I am sure that Sharif visited Saudi Arabia just to win their (Saudis’) support for his family in the Panamagate case,” Khan said.

He said he had not enticed any PPP leader, adding that they were joining PTI of their own volition.

He cited the example of Ijaz Chaudhry from Mandi Bahauddin, who had approached PTI for joining it, but the very same day, FIA raided his residence and the next day he was in jail. Currently, he said, he was out on bail. “By doing so, the Sharif mafia has given a clear message to his party MNAs to not join PTI. Otherwise, they should be ready for false cases and FIRs.”