SIALKOT-Pasrur-based MPA-elect Rana Liaqat Ali, who had dissociated himself from the PML-N on the denial of the party ticket and won the PP-39 poll as an independent candidate in the 2018 elections, has explained why he rejoined the party.
He said that he joined PML-N by rejecting several lucrative offers made by the PTI. He said, "They (PTI office-bearers) actually wanted to buy me and my conscience asking me to join PTI and have attractive package. But I refused to join PTI because I am not for sale as being the citizen of Pakistan."
He stated that the PML-N had trusted him in 2013 general elections and awarded him the party ticket, and he won the seat also in the 2013 elections. "The doors of PML-N are open to me. They (PML-N leadership) warmly welcomed me with great respect due to which I have gifted my seat to the PML-N without any greed. I have joined PML-N after detailed discussions with the people of my constituency," he said.
He said that he was fully satisfied with his decision to go back to the PML-N camps. "I always did the politics of honour, dignity and respect as I am not for sale," he said. Last Monday, the Pasrur-based independent MPA formally joined the PML-N after his meeting with PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif.
PML-N central leaders Khawaja Asif and Hamza Shehbaz Sharif were also present on the occasion. He said that he had formally joined the PML-N in the large interest of the people of his constituency. He also expressed his full trust in the leadership of Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif.
Earlier, he was elected as MPA from Pasrur in 2013 general elections. He had been the president of PML-N Germany. But, the top leadership of PML-N this time dropped him by not giving him PML-N ticket and awarded the party ticket to Mirza Altaf Hussain, the PML-N president in Saudi Arabia, for PP-39, Sialkot-V seat for July 25, 2018 general elections.
Rana Liaqat Ali contested these polls as an independent candidate against PML-N candidate Mirza Altaf Hussain, and defeated him by 132 votes.
The Punjab government has finally approved a housing colony for the low-income earning people in Sialkot district.
According to the senior officials, the housing colony would be established on a 200-acre land along the Sialkot-Airport Road.
The Punjab government would spend Rs2 billion on the mega project to be completed under the supervision of Provincial Planning and Development Department Punjab.
The tendering for the construction of boundary walls, roads, streets, water supply, sewerage lines laying, establishment of disposal stations and other development schemes in this housing colony will begin in September 2018, the senior officials added.
The low-income earners including the employees of government and semi-government departments would be able to get residential plots in the Housing Colony on easy installments, senior officials revealed.
The government would seek applications for the allotments of the plots from the next year, they concluded.