The PTI's weak majority coupled with offers from other parties have left options open for independent lawmakers.. PHOTO: FILE
The United Front, formed by at least nine independent lawmakers from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, suffered a setback on Saturday after three of its members joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Thirteen independent candidates won provincial assembly seats in the province, out of which nine formed the United Front claiming they would play their role for positive politics.
The group comprised Israrullah Khan Gandapur, Javed Akbar Khan, Haji Qalandar Khan Lodhi, Samiullah Alizai, Farid Khan, Shah Mohammad Khan Wazir, Malik Amjad Afridi, Malik Qasim Khan Khattak and Haji Abdul Mumim.
However, on Saturday, Shah Mohammad Khan and Farid Khan announced they would join the PTI following a meeting with K-P chief minister designate Pervez Khattak. A member of the group hinted the rest of the group would also extend its support to the PTI government.
Requesting anonymity, the member added another meeting was scheduled with Khattak for Monday.
Regarding the meeting on Saturday, he said independents met Khattak who asked them to join the government on the treasury benches. Independents will have a meeting of their own ahead of meeting PTI leaders to discuss whether to take the plunge or not, confirmed the lawmaker.
“I think there is no reason for us to sit in the opposition as we have to live up to the expectations of our electorate,” he said, explaining there was greater likelihood of the independents joining the ruling coalition.
The lawmaker was hopeful that PTI would accommodate the group on the treasury benches as the party had a fragile majority. “They will definitely like having more people supporting them on the floor of the assembly.”
Presently, four independents have joined the PTI, while two others have joined the Qaumi Watan Party (QWP). Samullah Alizai from DI Khan was the latest independent to join the PTI.
However, Israrullah Gandapur told The Express Tribune the group’s options remain open and it had not been decided whether independents would join the opposition or take on the treasury. The PTI does not have a majority capable of forming the government, and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl have not abandoned their ambitions either, he added.
Gandapur added the PTI formally offered members of the United Front to join the party on Saturday, but the group had asked for incentives similar to those offered by the Jamaat-e-Islami and QWP. The group’s conditions for joining include parliamentary secretary positions and the District Development Advisory Committee chairman seat. “PTI leaders told us they would discuss our offer with the party’s senior leadership,” said Gandapur.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 19th, 2013.
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IK should no succumb to the pressure otherwise he will lose everything. Its better to sit in opposition than to form a government after being blackmailed.