Not forming forward bloc in PTI: PPP

Parliamentarian Ali Gilani denies Zardari using political muscle for purpose

Our Correspondent January 08, 2023

Ali Haider Gilani at a meeting prior to his abduction by gunmen during his election campaign. PHOTO: AFP

LAHORE:

The Pakistan Peoples Party has rejected rumours about the party being “vigorously involved” in creating a forward bloc in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf by reaching out to its defecting lawmakers in south Punjab, calling them “false”.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Punjab PPP parliamentarian Ali Haider Gilani said, “The PPP did not believe in horse trading and staunchly stands by the democratic principles.”

He said PPP Co-chairman Asif Zardari was not working on any “clandestine plan” to form a group or any sort of forward block. “The PPP’s doors are open to all who are interested in joining. Why PPP will form any group or any separate political party. What benefit PPP will gain from it,” Ali said, adding that all media reports suggesting that Zardari was using his political muscle to form a forward block in any other political party were “false”.

As per the media reports, parliamentarians from south Punjab, who had joined the PTI post-elections, were not happy with the party’s leadership for a slew of reasons.

It was rumoured that these parliamentarians might not even show up during a vote of confidence against PTI ally and Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi in the Punjab Assembly, which would bring to the fore the crack within the party.

It was said that these parliamentarians were expected to form a forward block in the PTI along with those who were recently ousted from the party.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leaders last month told The Express Tribune that their party would only issue tickets to the most competent candidates and that no preferential treatment would be accorded to those who had traded loyalties prior to the Punjab CM elections.

The leaders had then opined that their party leadership felt that those who were from the PTI were not accepted by the voters and thus despite having the support on paper, they lost miserably during the by-elections.

They then said that their party, by according tickets to those who jumped ships, had held its end of the bargain, adding that there was no understanding of allotting party tickets to them after that.

Close to a dozen parliamentarians, who had lost during the recent by-elections, with slim chances of being given tickets by the PML-N, were reportedly now working to form a group.