Iftikhar Jhagra, other PTI leaders may rejoin PPP

Four politicians including three leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) met with Pakistan People’s Party provincial President Anwar Saifullah Khan who invited them to join the PPP, sources said on Friday. The sources said that PTI leaders Iftikhar Jhagra and Syed Iftikhar Ali Shah held a meeting with Anwar Saifullah in Akbarpura village in Nowshera district. PPP leader and chairman of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources Tariq Khattak and PPP’s provincial senior vice-president Azam Afridi were also present at the meeting that took place at the residence of Syed Iftikhar Ali Shah in Akbarpura. “Iftikhar Jhagra told Anwar Saifullah to let him think about the offer. He promised to inform him of his decision by November 17,” a PPP leader privy to the meeting told The News. Anwar Saifullah, the sources said, also spoke to another PTI leader Qurban Ali Khan on phone as he was not present at the meeting. Qurban Ali assured Anwar Saifullah that he too would consider rejoining the PPP. Iftikhar Ali Shah had quit the PPP due to the alleged undemocratic attitude of former PPP provincial president Senator Sardar Ali Khan. Iftikhar Jhagra and former Member Provincial Assembly Qurban Ali Khan had also quit the PPP and joined the PTI. Anwar Saifullah, the sources said, informed Iftikhar Ali Shah and Iftikhar Jhagra about the efforts being made to woo back disgruntled PPP workers and invited them to rejoin the PPP. The sources in the PPP said that PPP Co-Chairman, President Asif Ali Zardari had directed Anwar Saifullah to make concerted efforts to persuade the estranged party workers to return to the party fold and campaign for PPP candidates in the next general election. “The PPP Khyber Pakhtun-khwa leadership has been tasked to reorganise the party in the province before the forthcoming polls so that it could win maximum number of seats and form the government,” a PPP leader wishing to remain anonymous said. Meanwhile, the sources said that known social worker Ali Khan and Shoaib Khan from Akbarpura have also decided to join the PPP. They said that Anwar Saifullah had invited them to join the PPP. Ali Khan, the sources said, would make the announcement at a public gathering on November 13. Anwar Saifullah, the sources said, also held talks with Arbab Manzoor Khan in Lala Killay and managed to persuade him to announce joining the PPP. Arbab Manzoor is an old friend and class-fellow of Anwar Saifullah and is expected to make the announcement soon.