Swabi Qaumi Mahaz merged into PTI

SWABI: The former office-bearers of Swabi Qaumi Mahaz (SQM) on Friday announced merger of the party with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

They made the announcement at a press conference in Swabi.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, PTI district President Anwar Haqdad Khan, former President Rangaiz Khan and other office-bearers of the ruling party were present on the occasion.

Those who announced the merger included the SQM’s former Senior Vice-Chairman Noorzada, Vice-Chairman Iqbal Ahmad and former General Secretary Liaquat Yousafzai.

Noorzada said that they held a meeting a few days back wherein it was unanimously decided to join a political party.

“It was decided by the committee members that we should join the PTI,” he said.

Liaquat Yousafzai recalled that they founded the SQM in April 1994. He said in the past Swabi district only produced workers who followed the leaders of other political parties.

He maintained that the Awami National Party (ANP) leadership imposed candidates on them from other districts.

“We opposed this policy and adopted an independent approach. We succeeded in producing local leaders,” he said.

“This was our great achievement. Today the Speaker of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly belongs to Swabi,” Liaquat Yousafzai reminded.

Speaking on the occasion, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser said that PTI didn’t impose decisions on its workers. He said his party valued the opinion of its workers and included them in the decision-making process.

The SQM had become inactive after suffering from differences in its ranks. Its only lawmaker Babar Salim had earlier been with the Pakistan Awami Jamhoori Ittehad, a small party largely confined to Swabi and led by the Taraki family. Later, it merged with the PTI.  

Meanwhile, the SQM’s former leader and Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) Babar Salim said in a statement that he had joined the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

He said that he held meetings with SQM leaders and workers before deciding to join the PML-N.