Pakistan

Former governor Punjab Chaudhry Sarwar joins PTI

Sarwar says he and the PTI chief see eye-to-eye on many things

Web Desk February 10, 2015

PHOTO: EXPRESS/MEHMOOD QURESHI

Former governor Punjab Chaudhry Sarwar announced on Tuesday that he will join Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Express News reported.

Sarwar, who resigned from his post on January 29 following a conversation with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over statements the governor had made regarding the government’s foreign policy, is likely to take the post of party presiden.

Former PTI president Javed Hashmi gave up the post after differences with PTI chairman Imran Khan over his decision to march towards the Prime Minister House during the party’s ‘Azadi March’.

Sarwar had censured the Foreign Office for US President Barack Obama visiting India and not Pakistan and termed it a “failure” on part of the country’s foreign policy.

Following his resignation, PTI and Pakistan Peoples Party’s senior leadership offered Sarwar to join their respective parties, The Express Tribune had learnt earlier.

“PTI has offered the slot of party president to Sarwar, while PPP has offered him the post as party president for central Punjab,” sources reportedly said.

Sarwar, according to sources, said he would make a final decision after taking his aides in Scotland and the UK into confidence. The former governor would discuss the offers with his family and friends, before deciding whether to part ways with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

The former Punjab governor has left for Bani Gala to meet PTI chairman Imran Khan. Sarwar is accompanied by PTI general secretary Jehangir Tareen.

Sarwar and Imran Khan will address a press conference at 3pm today.

Speaking to Express News, Sarwar said, "I do not compromise on corruption. Imran Khan has the same ideals as me, which is why I decided to join the PTI."

PTI chairman Imran Khan confirmed Sarwar is joining PTI.

“Chaudhry Sarwar is joining PTI,” he said, while speaking to the media.

Addressing the media later in the day, the former governor Punjab said, "I am proud to have joined the PTI."

“Positions and protocols are pointless if you can’t serve people,” he added.

“Imran and I agree on most things whether it be good governance, end of corruption or opportunities for overseas Pakistan,” he said, explaining why he has joined the PTI.

“The struggle is not to gain premiership but to fight the status quo,” Sarwar concluded.

Meanwhile, the PTI chairman welcomed Sarwar in his party.

"Chaudhry Sb was a part of the Labour Party in Britain; he will help us reorganising our party," he said.

Regarding his earlier statements on Altaf Hussain, the PTI chairman said he still maintained his stance, and urged the prime minister to file a case against the MQM chief in Britain.

COMMENTS (67)

A Peshawary | 9 years ago | Reply Imran Khan: Give him an assignment to change the face of KPK; both economically and socially with target of one year. It will be a test of his abilities and political will to do something for Pakistan; his reason of giving-up British citizenship . Dear Khan; if u succeed in KPK you will win in next elections like AAP won in Delhi. Believe you me, people are tired of the old faces; He is still a fresh entry into Pakistan politics use him properly and in the right place. A Peshawary

RMAI | 9 years ago | Reply @Ahmed: You can't compare that with what happened to Javed Hashmi. That guy betrayed his leader and obv his previous leader too. Where as chaudray Sarwar resigned on the principles and the fact that he was not given any space by Mr. Shahbaz to work and take decisions on his own. PTI is a party where he will be able to exercise all those things plus with his support pti will get much stronger than before. Apart from many mistakes by PTI, they are still far better than any other political party that exists right now in Pak.

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Anjum Arshi | 9 years ago | Reply @Karachi: "Excellent news! A true patriot this person is." Of course, a true patriot of the United Kingdom!

Jahangir | 9 years ago | Reply I can't beleive this, he joins a man who always supports TTP and has pashtun nationalism ideas. Imagine Pakistan in couple of years a pashtun becomes our Punjab's governeer!!! Wake up folks..

Zain Siddique | 9 years ago | Reply Very good decision by Chaudhary Sarwar Saab. . I hope PTI will give due platform to Ch saab to polish his internal skills of democracy . Good luck Sir.

Ebaad | 9 years ago | Reply @ salman hypermart of lotas Your comment made my day bro!!

PK | 9 years ago | Reply Imran khan make sure this time that he is really on your side. It's not a journey from Bhagi to Daghi.

raider | 9 years ago | Reply @Blithe: our parliamnet. now where is that our parliament, wilderness, and teeth less, gathering place in legitimate terms against any good doer, be de-facto instead de-jure

unbiased pakistani | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqui you are proof that fluency in English has nothing to do with jahalat. one can be eloquent and yet still be a bigoted narrow minded and moronically unreasonable!

ksm | 9 years ago | Reply In the present scenario there could no better choice then this!!!!!

ksm | 9 years ago | Reply @Dr.M.M. Khan: Why you want Indians here????? Anyway what did they gave to the nation or to you who claim to be living on 60 or 100 yards houses?

Ranjha | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqi: Man, seems like you need to be put back in your strait jacket before you chew off someone's ear! Calm down, it is only the beginning!

Blithe | 9 years ago | Reply Dispicable behavior during d Chowk when he was making victory signs to support those attacking our parliment

matt | 9 years ago | Reply @adnan siddiqui Policies of government !!! We need some more jokes like this and joker like you.Perhaps you should refer to an economist for greater insight. I cannot help explain this to bigot and lay-man whose economics knowledge would be far below 5 years old. You read what Mr Dar provide you which is called window dressed economy.

salman | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqi: Pmln gave 146 tickets to ex-pmlq and ex-PPP people before last elections. PTI gave 25 tickets to ex members of other parties. The list is available on pkpolitics website. If that makes IK a corner shopkeeper, it also makes main sahib the hypermart of lotas. Lol. Keep going son, you're doing well. At least you're trying.....

FAM | 9 years ago | Reply @ Ahmed What a beautiful prediction. If turns true then IKs' future may look for a calm and dark place to hide.

Ilyas | 9 years ago | Reply Looting is not done after making a public announcement, these people are not brainless they know how the system works. Scams via Projects/government funds and most of all bribery. They don't leave some trails to follow. Why do you think that no one get charged, every time there is an investigation into alleged corruption its nearly always dropped and no -one is found guilty. Evidence is made to disappear. If you think there is no corruption then you have not lived in Pakistan. Politicians/beuracrats are not accountable to anyone, they believe they are above the law that is why they get away with so much. these people do not amass all this wealth within a very short timeframe from sitting in their government posts. The reason they will do anything to get these posts is because of the lucrative rewards that can be obtained. Hardly anyone obtains their positions due to merit, its based on loyalties and rewards. That's why the country is in such a mess. So PTI have all the angels in there party no-one that has ever looted any funds - don't be so nieve. All the dirt will come out in time.

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply @Salman, Hence I rest my case that Niazi is nothing but a corner shopkeeper who deals in Lotas of all shapes and sizes. The more Lotas of Nawaz Sharif and Zardari he buys wholesale, the more his business flourishes. And BTW, this is what Niazi's spiritual gurus and ideals in Mubashir Lucman and Sheeda Tulli had to say about Chaudhry Sarwar last year. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x12gfx7punjab-s-next-governor-chaudhry-sarwar-is-related-to-liquor-business-in-uk-luqmannews And speaking of holes, y'alls numskulls leader has dug so many of them that his cult worshiping mindless fan boys are obliged to fill up everywhere hole that Niazi leaves behind.

raider | 9 years ago | Reply @Amjad: our is problem, start from a rational comments and use to switch abruptly to irrational and while we reaching end we loss all conscience and try to present self-concocted theories that wise man likely to quit page and having the feeling of vomiting, i would like you to suggest to whom you would like to be there in pti, and also highlight the corruption made by pti to date

Ilyas | 9 years ago | Reply PTI has taken onbaord Barrister Sultan Mehmood, This guy has tried endlessly to topple Chaudory Majeed (prim minister of AK) to no avail. HE now wants to get into a position incase PTI comes into power. There is no loyalty in politics, it a case of getting the best available position that could be obtained. Barrister Mehmood could not care less about Kashmir or its people , its all about greed. What amazes me is why people are like sheep following these leaders, who receive millions in donations, live in huge palaces, cruise around with a 20 motor protocol team, who's families live like kings , Children go abroad to the best elite schools and these leaders have vast amount of wealth in foreign banks and properties abroad. Whilst the comman man works until his last breath to obtain regular meal. These leaders are Demons put on this earth to cause as much mischief as possible - may god bring their downfall - as quickly as possible.

salman | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqi: Pmln may not have given hashmi a ticket, but they might as well have done. They backed him in every other way: http://tribune.com.pk/story/769065/by-polls-in-multan-pml-n-to-back-hashmi-for-na-149/ And sorry to burst your propaganda bubble, but sarwar has not joined as PTI president. Interesting you say people changing loyalties should be chastised. Guess you not too happy with the 35+ people from pmlq who joined pmln then? I do admire your ability to dig holes for yourself and comically fall into them. Keep it up son.

Sana | 9 years ago | Reply He only went to PTI because MQM would not take him. This won't do anything for Sarwar's career nor will it help PTI. Sarwar doesn't any significant votes like Hasmi did or the other feudals the PTI has.

Amjad | 9 years ago | Reply The biggest hypocritcal party is PTI. Bunch of jokers!! I use to think it was a good party but then realised its all the same corrupt faces that i have seen all my life in PTI. All this talk of dharna, "iwill not leave until he resigns" All this bakwaas we heard was all a show! Then came the lies, "petrol prices came down due to dharna". lieing to the public is the ulimtate sin, the whole world knows that prices came down due to oil prices coming down globally. PTI are just another corrupt party like all others. no difference.. They have also added another corrupt leader from kashmir barrister sultan mahmood!!

Chachoo | 9 years ago | Reply Najam Sethi's Chirya told him that Chaudary Sahib will never join PTI. The Chirya of Sethi Saab will die of heart attack after hearing this.

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply @matt: Let me get a drift as to what you are saying, a person is a durbari, corrupt and patwari as long as he is in PML-N and as soon as he leaves this party; that person becomes a saint, decent, pious, righteous and god fearing person. So in other words if in the future people like Khawaja Asif, Ishaq Dar, Talal Chaudhry etc. part ways with PML-N and apply for induction in PTI - they would be immediately drafted and given a certificate of piety and godliness by Hazrat Banigala Sharif? And just to explain something in a rather lucid term which I am sure that you being in possession of a brain of the size of a pea can also comprehend, it's because of the policies of the government that a country gets to benefit from trade activities like GSP Plus status and increase in exports. There is a difference between a country and some fan club whose leader goes about collecting zakat and sadka and then taking all the credit for it. Chaudhry Sarwar did not do any favors to the government but rather he played his part in the betterment of his country.

Shehzad | 9 years ago | Reply Excellent news, Welcome to PTI,

Bilal Afzal | 9 years ago | Reply @Ahmed: very wrong comparison ...someone who left you in the battlefield and then ask help from them who you are fighting against is indeed called "Daghi".

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply @raider: Hashmi ain't my concern bro, he got what he deserved. People changing loyalties should be abhorred and chastised everywhere. That is the reason that PML-N never gave him a ticket for by-elections otherwise there would be been no power that would have stopped him from winning that election in which a PPP lota was supported by PTI. Hashmi made a calculated move to distance from PTI then and swallow the acrimony of losing an election which next time around he will win again. But the in the process he left Niazi deeply scarred and disgraced after 126 days of nach gana and failure to dislodge the government. This disgrace will haunt IK for a long time.

matt | 9 years ago | Reply No decent person can stay in PMLN for long.The king does not like people who try to undermine his authority.Cheap party has cheap followers..Thanks to Ch. Sarwar efforts that we got GSP plus to add $1 billion additional export to Europe.Dar only talk and Sharifs are there only to rule ! Shameless self proclaimed so called democratic leaders

Emad shah | 9 years ago | Reply Wellcome to PTI.

raider | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqi: First see and you likely to be at good conclusion that hashmi never win on his own, he was respected and in return he left Imran with disgrace,

raider | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqi: Zigzagged English (excellent) and funny comments, you always multiply zero with your conscience

nuzhat shireen | 9 years ago | Reply welcome to new Pakistan.

raider | 9 years ago | Reply @ahmer: It is analogy to same conspiracy made by quid and stakeholders in 1940 against colonial rule,

Aakash | 9 years ago | Reply @Karachi: True patriot criteria.... If you are with PTI you are an angel.... if not... You are corrupt number one.

Shakil | 9 years ago | Reply A good choice by ex MP Sarwar. Any sincere politician can not fit into corrupt family mafias named as political parties in Pakistan be it PPP, PMLn or MQM!

Dr.M.M. Khan | 9 years ago | Reply Let us see how long the honeymoon lasts. PTI will soon be a party of chiefs and no indians.

Muhammad Kashif | 9 years ago | Reply PMLN is facing governance issues in quality and integrity. Good people moving to PTI. Where is PPP have anybody heard of it?

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply Chaudhry Sarwar sighted lack of potable water facilities and "Qabza Mafia" as the reasons for resigning from Governorship. Today we expect him to ask Shah Mehmood Qureshi that despite him being the Pir of Multan and the city being his ancestral fiefdom for generations, why are the people there deprived of clean water. Similarly, Chaudhry Sarwar should summarily take action against known Qabza Mafia like Abdul Aleem Khan, Mehmood-ur-Rasheed and Azam Swati and bank defaulters like Ijaz Chaudhry.

Ebaad | 9 years ago | Reply @Haris: And both these comments become null and void after Arslan’s comment and the number of likes on it!! Good news indeed, for those unnecessarily trying to relate this case with Hashmi’s; quitting PTI made once a political heavyweight into zero, Sarwar seems sensible enough to realize that!

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply Even some low level office holder and functionary of PML-N is more than capable to jump several hundred notches and become a President upon induction. One can clearly determine the level of this fan club otherwise known as PTI.

Abid Saleem | 9 years ago | Reply Chaudary Sahib Be careful from PTI Behavios you don't how they will react when you leave the this party you know the betteer that how they accused javaid hasmi who is more patriotic from u and when he has differnces what the shameful behavios of all pti leadership and workers....so be in mind these all

Ammar Ashraf | 9 years ago | Reply @Ahmed Are you sure no one disgraced Ch Sarwar? Dont you know how Rana Sanaullah blackmailed him? Dont you know what PMLN UK chapter did after his resignation?

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply Why can't Fouzia Kasuri, Justice Wajiuddin, Imran Ismail, Naeem ul Haq and countless other ideological members of PTI cannot become President of the party? Why is it that such positions are awarded to "Imported" Lotas - case in point being JKT, SMQ, Azam Swati, Pervaiz Khattak, Javed Hashmi and now Chaudhry Sarwar.

salman | 9 years ago | Reply Looks like a reasonably educated and eexperienced politician cannot survive in pmln, or rather Sharif Bros and family Inc. No wonder yeaterday main sahib was begging aspiring senate applicants not to leave pmln for PTI if they dont get a senate ticket. Oh well, at least pmln still have geniuses like Abid shero ali , rana sunaullah, captain safdar and gullu butt (currently incarcerated), in their party!

Salman Shah | 9 years ago | Reply @ Adnan Siddiqi - no

salman | 9 years ago | Reply @Adnan Siddiqi: Javed hashmi was rejected by the people despite the full might of pmln and Punjab govt working round the clock to get him elected again. Hamza shahbaz was personally running his reelection campaign. Javed hashmi is a has been, only remembered fondly by the pmln media cell who trot out his name every so often to get some political mileage, not realising hashmi is a national laughing stock. Have a nice day pal!

rizwan | 9 years ago | Reply Chaudry sahib, please keep your newly adopted party away from 3rd umpire

pervaiz | 9 years ago | Reply Chaudary sahib good person but it seems he do not wnt to have hi respect after joining pti. Javed Hashmi experience is an exemple. days are not too far when he will be leaving pti as Jved hashmi.

Infinityscholarships | 9 years ago | Reply Higher studies, especially from a renowned institution opens new vistas of thought and broadens one's vision. Chaudhry Sarwar is a person who is determined to raise standard of education in the country. Let's pray for his success.

Syed A. Mateen | 9 years ago | Reply With Chaudhry Sahib best of luck in taking over as President PTI.

Haris | 9 years ago | Reply @Ahmed... You comment becomes null and void after @ahmer comment and the number of likes on it....

Razia | 9 years ago | Reply Sir, You are asset for Pakistan & for PTI as well. Good decision and good luck for your future. Congratulations

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply Today Javed Hashmi stands further vindicated.

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply @SKN: Awwwww so cutteeeeeeeee......this is what PTI's Central Information Secretary Druella Di Vel Shireen Mazari had to tweet about Chaudhry Sarwar on 23rd September, 2014: Imported Gov. Sarwar offers platitudes on Pak politics in London sitting with MQM ldr AH who advocated technocrat govt/army intervention!

imran | 9 years ago | Reply Good News Ch. Sarwar. Mubarak

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply Ohhh goodie! Now then, wasn't he the same person who was alleged by the troll following fan club to be a merchant of alcohol and pork in UK and had bribed a million quids to NS for Punjab Governorship? On a side note, Chaudhry Sarwar should man up in advance if in the event he decides to disagree with Her Fuhrer Niazi. If he does express his dissidence, than he would be crucified and dragged through dirt by the cult worshiping dimwits.

SKN | 9 years ago | Reply We must all remember, this person left power and decided to do something beneficial for the country. We need people like him in politics and should be respected and supported instead of making childish indecent comments.

Asad | 9 years ago | Reply You were a good man even in PMLN, now your respect has increased more, also peoples trust on PTI will be increased as a genuine good man joins PTI. There should be 1000 London plans for betterment of Pakistan. London plan if there was any might be bad for PMLN but it worked well for Pakistan.

Arslan | 9 years ago | Reply @Ahmed @ahmer Guys get a life! We all know where Pakistan stands as a result of PMLn, PPP policies. PTI at least got honest people! Rest assured, yes everyone can make mistake.

pk | 9 years ago | Reply welcome on new planet Sir. I hope you don't regret later on for choosing the wrong number,

nadeem | 9 years ago | Reply Only time will tell whether Sarwar will be able to lead PTI in the right direction, and make it more of an institution rather than "IK's bunch". I am curious what his opinion is about the 3rd umpire first promising to help PTI in toppling an elected government, and then leaving them high and dry.

pakistani | 9 years ago | Reply all good people should leave pml(N) as it is a family party. They are better choices out there now at least in PTI.

ahmer | 9 years ago | Reply London plan conspirators all getting together.....was expected.

Shahid | 9 years ago | Reply We should thank IK for having provided a platform where patriotic people can play a role. All the best sir. Pakistan zindabad.

Karachi | 9 years ago | Reply Excellent news! A true patriot this person is.

Ahmed | 9 years ago | Reply Chaudhary sb, be careful. When you left PML-N no one disgraced you. Keep in mind what happened to Javed Hashemi, when you will leave this PTI cult you will be labelled as a daghi (IA)

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