Ex-PML-N leader dumps ANP, joins PTI

Change of mind comes as ANP was set to welcome Nasir Musazai

PESHAWAR: Some three day after having agreed upon joining Awami National Party (ANP), former Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) office bearer and ticker holder Nasir Musazai has joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The ANP leadership was, according to sources, on its way to welcome Musazai in to the party fold when he announced that he has changed his mind.

The reason for leaving PML-N was public resentment against the party leadership for ignoring Pashtuns. “I have observed that people are not accepting ex-PM Nawaz Sharif as their leader for ignoring Pashtuns and this is the major reason why I have left the party,” said Nasir Musazai, former PML-N provincial information secretary who also contested bypolls on PML-N ticket at NA-4 last year.



Before joining PTI, Musazai was all set to join ANP however, he refused at the eleventh hour despite the fact that a joining ceremony had been organised and ANP leadership was on their way towards Musazai’s residence.

On Wednesday, ANP leadership confirmed provincial president and former K-P chief minister Amir Haidar Khan Hoti had met Musazai and things were finalised.

“He has met the provincial president and he has joined us [ANP],” ANP provincial general secretary Sardar Hussain Babak told The Express Tribune last week adding that Musazai was in contact with Hoti and the party will announce Musazai’s joining later.



On Friday, where a joining ceremony had been organised, ANP received a call from Musazai that he wanted sometime besides taking his voters on board before taking any decision compelling the ANP leadership to return.

On Saturday, however, pictures showing Musazai standing with PTI Chairman Imran Khan stunned everyone since people could not believe Musazai will join his opponents, the ones who contested and defected him during by-polls in October last year.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 15^th, 2018.