GUJRAT: A former candidate of PTI from PP-32 Kunjah, Iftikhar Samman, joined the PML-Q here on Sunday.

The announcement was made at the Samman House in presence of Chaudhry Salik Hussain, a senior leader of the PML-Q.

Iftikhar was the PTI candidate against Chaudhry Moonis Elahi who was in the PML-Q in the 2013 elections and stood third. However, he supported Parvez Elahi on both the National Assembly and Punjab Assembly seats in 2018 elections as per the party directions due to the seat adjustment between the PTI and the PML-Q.

Iftikhar’s cousin Nasir Samman was the PPP candidate against Moonis in 2008 election and both these cousins had played a pivotal role in the victory of the PPP’s Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar against Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. However, Nasir has not been active in the local politics for the last one decade while Iftikhar leads the family in the area.

Speaking to the gathering, Iftikhar claimed that he had brought a large number of PTI workers along with him into the PML-Q and vowed to activate all his supporters for the victory of Salik Hussain in the upcoming election.

Talking to Dawn later, he said he would apply for the PML-Q ticket from PP-32 Kunjah in the election; however, his joining was unconditional and would honour the party decision made for him.

Responding to various queries by the reporters, Chaudhry Salik said he had never talked about the seat adjustment with any party as he was ready to contest against all parties.

He questioned why the local PML-N rank and file were scared of the seat adjustment and were making statements of negating any seat adjustment between PML-N and PML-Q. If they (the PML-N local cadres) had any issue, they should talk to their senior leadership, he said and added that he was in no hurry to talk about the seat adjustment.

Salik welcomed the new entrants to the PML-Q and pledged to strive for the progress and betterment of Gujrat and Pakistan.

Later, he inaugurated the PML-Q office in Kunjah.

Published in Dawn, November 6th, 2023