Raja Riaz decides to join PTI

LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senior leader Raja Riaz Ahmed has reportedly decided to join the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).According to reports, Rajz Riaz is expected to formally announce his joining of the PTI in a couple of days.He took the decision after developing differences with senior party leaders amid complaints of being ignored by the top PPP leadership. A Jiyala for 35 years, Raja Riaz said that he was being cornered by the party leadership.“I stood with the party in their good and bad times but now I am being pushed against the wall,” he said.Riaz said that PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari had tried to reconcile matters but failed to do so.

 PTI chief Imran Khan had welcomed him into the party. Raja Riaz kicked off his parliamentary politics after being elected as MPA on PPP ticket in 2008 general elections. He served as Punjab Senior Minister and later became opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly when his party quit the coalition government. Rajz Riaz Ahmed contested 2013 general elections on PPP ticket from PP-65 seat but was defeated by PML-N candidate Haji Muhammad Ilyas Ansari.