Asad Junejo joins PML-N

Rafique says Sharif may visit London to be with his ailing Kulsoom

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudary Shaujat may well be out on a mission to unify various Muslim league factions, but his own faction was dealt a serious blow on Thursday when former PML-Q Sindh president Asad Ali Junejo formally joined the PML-N.

PML-N senior leader Khawaja Saad Rafique made an announcement to this effect while talking to the media outside Jati Umra.

He said the party welcomes Asad Junejo “who is the son of a true patriot and an honest leader” former prime minister Muhammad Khan Junejo.



He said Asad had resigned from his party position a month back, and that he held a meeting with Nawaz Sharif on Thursday before formally announcing that he was joining the PML-N.

Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair, Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Senator Pervaiz Rasheed and Senator Dr Asif Kirmani were also present at the meeting.

Sharif, the former prime minister, was quoted on the occasion as saying that all of the federating units have equal importance to him, and “I love Sindhi people. Whenever I visited Sindh, the people of the province welcomed me with love and respect.” He was further quoted as saying that Junejo’s joining the PML-N would help strengthen the party.

Nawaz also lauded the services of Muhammad Khan Junejo – the man from whom he took over the ‘primary’ PML faction – and said the PML-N would win the 2018 elections in Sindh.



Asad was quoted as saying that the stability of Pakistan is linked with the stability of the PML-N and that Sharif “is a surety of progress, prosperity, and stability”. He said the people of Sindh were looking towards Sharif with hope for solutions to their problems. Asad also invited Sharif to visit Sindh, which the latter accepted.

Reaction to ECP notice

Rafique told the media that the party also held consultative meetings at Jati Umra regarding the NA-120 election.

He said that an Election Commission of Pakistan notice to the PML-N leaders participating in the election campaign was beyond their understanding. He said that announcing development projects should be barred, but interacting with people is everyone’s basic right.

He questioned how the PML-N leaders living in the same constituency could be restricted from moving around in the area, saying that it would constitute a violation of their basic right of free movement, and that the party might go to court over such a restriction.

Answering a question, he said it is possible for the deposed PM to visit London as “his biggest responsibility now is to be with his ailing wife” Kulsoom Nawaz – who was recently diagnosed with cancer.