Daily Times

NATHIAGALI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Nazar Muhammad Gondal on Tuesday joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). He announced the decision at a press conference held at Nathia Gali. PTI chairman Imran Khan and other party leaders were also present.

Imran Khan welcomed the former federal minister into the PTI ranks and said that “parties of status quo” had ruined state institutions. “Now, people have to decide whether they want status quo or a change,” he said. He claimed that most of the leaders of ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz also wanted to join the PTI. “However, they are yet reluctant to announce this fearing of political victimisation,” he said.

Imran Khan said that Saudi Arabia was our brotherly country. “Iran is our neighbour. Pakistan should remove their existing differences and unite both the countries,” he said.

The PTI chairman also criticised Nawaz Sharif over the joint investigation team (JIT) hearings.

“Nawaz Sharif is the godfather of the mafia in Pakistan,” Khan said referring to the comments made by a Supreme Court judge during a recent hearing. “The PML-N has a history of making threats. The JIT is being maligned as part of planned conspiracy,” he said. “Nihal Hashmi’s speech is part of PML-N’s plan,” he said.

He said that the investigation team was under threat. “The JIT is at the risk of being attacked like the Supreme Court. The PML-N should remember that this isn’t 1997,” he said.

“When the moment of accountability arose during the Musharraf era, these people made a deal and ran away. Those who have been talking about accountability all these years are finally investigated,” he said.

He said that unless the Qatari prince showed up, the PML-N would fail in front of the JIT. “The Qatari is not coming, the PML-N is stuck. If the Qatari fails to show up then the N-League’s case will meet its end,” he said.

Gondal said that he had decided to support Imran Khan to bring a change in the country. He said that he would follow the decisions of the PTI chief. “It had become difficult for me and my associates to put up with the PPP leadership’s soft opposition policy towards the ruling PML-N,” he said. He accused the PML-N of victimising his supporters in Mandi Bahauddin.

Gondal is the third PPP leader to join the PTI in less than a month. Earlier, Noor Alam Khan and former federal minister Firdous Ahsiq Awan had also joined PTI.