Ali Gilani, a PPP parliamentarian, claims that Zardari is not using political strength for a purpose and that the PTI is not establishing a forward bloc.
The Pakistan Peoples Party has dismissed as “false” reports that it is “vigorously engaging” in liaising with its south Punjabi lawmakers who have defected in order to form a forward bloc within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
Ali Haider Gilani, a Punjab PPP lawmaker, stated to The Express Tribune that the party “does not believe in horse dealing and strongly stands by the democratic values.”
According to him, Asif Zardari, the co-chairman of the PPP, was not forming any sort of front block or group as part of any “clandestine strategy.” “All who are interested in joining are welcome at the PPP. Why PPP will create any organisation or independent political party. What advantage PPP will derive from it? Ali questioned, adding that any media reports claiming Zardari was using his political clout to create a forward block within any other political party were “wrong.”
According to media sources, south Punjabi lawmakers who had joined the PTI after the elections were dissatisfied with the party’s leadership for a variety of reasons.
There were rumours that these lawmakers would even skip a Punjab Assembly vote of confidence against PTI ally and Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi, which would highlight a rift within the party.
It was said that these lawmakers, along with those who had lately been expelled from the party, would form a front block inside the PTI.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leaders assured The Express Tribune last month that their party would only give tickets to the most qualified candidates and that individuals who had switched allegiances before the Punjab CM elections would not receive any preferential treatment.
The leaders had then expressed their opinion that, although having the support on paper, they had terribly failed in the by-elections because their party leadership believed that those who were from the PTI were not accepted by the voters.
They continued, saying that there was no agreement to provide them party tickets after that, that their party had kept its end of the bargain by giving tickets to those who abandoned ship.
Nearly a dozen lawmakers who had lost in the most recent by-elections and had little prospect of receiving PML-N tickets were apparently now attempting to organise.
