Ejazul Haq meets Imran, merges his PMLZ with PTI

LAHORE: After Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, another Muslim Leaguer and a known politician Ejazul Haq has also announced joining the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

He met PTI Chairman Imran Khan at his Zaman Park residence on Sunday and announced merging his party, Pakistan Muslim League Zia (PMLZ), into Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

Ejazul Haq vowed to remain loyal to Imran Khan and pledged to fulfill his responsibilities as his stalwart.

The politician, son of military ruler of Pakistan General (retd) Ziaul Haq, hails from Bahawalnagar district. He is most likely to get the National Assembly ticket from his native district, though he had been elected as an MNA for three terms (1990-1993-1997) from Rawalpindi, and got elected from Bahawalnagar in 2002. Ejazul Haq started his political career in the year 1990, and was elected as an MNA from Rawalpindi on the ticket of Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI). The Pakistan Muslim League was one of the nine parties of the IJI alliance, comprising right-wing forces, which had gathered at one platform against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

Ejazul Haq got the PMLN ticket in 1993 general election and was elected to the National Assembly from Rawalpindi. He used to be a close confidant of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. In 1997, Ejazul Haq got the ticket of PMLN once again, and won the seat. He also served as a federal minister in the cabinet of Nawaz Sharif.

In 1999, while the PMLN was in crisis, Ejazul Haq parted ways with Nawaz Sharif. In 2002, he founded his own party PML-Zia. He won a National Assembly seat from Bahawalnagar and later on all factions of the Muslim League, except for PMLN, joined the government, and he became a Q-Leaguer. He held portfolios like minister for overseas Pakistanis, Religious Affairs, etc., in different time periods. His brother Dr Anwarul Haq served as a provincial minister in the cabinet of Ghulam Hyder Wyne from 1990 to 1992.