MUZAFFARGARH /LAHORE - Member Provincial Assembly from Tehsil Jitoi, Khurram Sohail Khan Laghari, Friday announced his resignation from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Punjab Assembly as well.
While talking to reporters here in Muzaffargarh, he claimed that four other MPAs were with him to resign from the seat of the provincial assembly and the PTI. However, the MPAs who were pointed out to tender their resignation, including Abdul Hye Dasti and Alamdar Qureshi denied parting ways with the party. In a statement, they said they didn’t have contact with the dissident MPA, nor they thought of quitting the party. They said all MPAs were intact with the party, adding that Khurram Laghari had made a false claim on their behalf. They said that Khurram’s statement was baseless as they did not even speak to him, adding that they were making full preparations for the long march.
Hours before the start of PTI’ long march from Lahore’s Liberty Chowk on Friday, the party leadership received a jolt when the party MPA from Muzaffargarh Khurram Sohail Khan Leghari announced to dissociate himself from the party along with five other members of Punjab Assembly. Leghari said that he had decided to leave the party as five other MPAs were also planning to quit the PTI. He also hinted at his resignation from the Assembly membership soon. He said he would make a formal announcement in this regard at a press conference. Following Laghari’s statement, the PTI leadership sprang into action and contacted the party legislators from Muzaffargarh. Apparently, they succeeded in wooing them back at least for the time being.
Talking to The Nation, Khuram Laghari said that he had decided to quit the PTI, but his father forced him not to leave the party at this time. “Yes, I have made up my mind to quit, but right now I am under obligation from my father not to take such a decision. If there is no respect in the party, one should say goodbye to that party”, he said, adding that he had made the announcement about leaving the party in consultation with other MPAs. “You would see, they would be leaving the party sooner or later”, he said.
Meanwhile, according to an official press release, five assembly members of Muzaffargarh expressed their detachment with the statement of MPA Khuram Sohail Laghari. The father of Khuram Sohail Leghari and the head of the Leghari and Jatoi Group Channu Khan Leghari also issued rebuttal.
Provincial Minister Nawabzada Mansoor Ahmed Khan, MPA Abdul Hayi Dasti, Alamdar Qureshi, Aun Hameed Dogar and Moazzam Ali Khan announced to participate in the Azadi March, according to the release. Nawabzada Mansoor Ahmed Khan said that he stands with the PTI Chairman Imran Khan and condemned the statement of Khuram Leghari. Abdul Hayi Dasti said that the statement regarding six MPAs deserting the party from Muzaffargarh is strictly rebutted. They said that they stand with PTI and support the narrative of Imran Khan. “We are preparing for the long march with our utmost preparations. We are taking the people towards Islamabad and will play a vigorous role in the Haqiqi Azadi March. We will fight the Haqiqi Azadi war with Imran Khan”. Aun Hameed Dogar said that no person is willing to leave the party from district Muzaffargarh adding that he does not agree with the statement of Khuram Leghari giving to the media. “We are standing shoulder to shoulder with Imran Khan and CM Ch Parvez Elahi. We will fully participate in the long march on the call of Imran Khan. We will obey the orders of the party leadership and the Quaid”. Moazzam Ali said that he was also going to participate in the long march of Imran Khan and those who were creating misunderstanding should be told that we stood with the party, stand with it now and will remain so in future.