December 13, 2007	Thursday	Zilhaj 2, 1428

TOBA TEK SINGH, Dec 12: Two disappointed PPP leaders, Mian Rafiq and Saifullah Cheema, have finally joined the PML-N ranks.

Rumours of the duo’s joining the PML-N in Nawaz Sharif’s public meeting in Faisalabad on Monday were rife, however a formal announcement to this effect came on Wednesday.

Rafiq, a former MPA, had returned PPP ticket for PP-90 (Khikha) to protest the allegedly ‘conspiring’ attitude of former federal minister Khalid Kharal a few days ago. He has now been awarded PML-N ticket.

While talking to reporters here on Wednesday, PML-N district president Amjad Ali Javed confirmed that Rafiq had joined PML-N in a meeting with Nawaz Sharif in Faisalabad on Monday.

In the last general elections, PML-Q candidate Chaudhry Liaqat Ali Shoukat defeated Rafiq with a narrow margin and Rafiq had blamed Khalid Kharal for ‘secretly supporting his rival’.

Meanwhile, Chaudhry Saifullah Cheema, a former PPP leader who was earlier given ticket for NA-92, on Wednesday announced his quitting the PPP and joining the PML-N.

Talking to reporters in Gojra, Cheema announced that he would support PML-N candidate for NA-92 M Hamza. Hamza was also present there to welcome Cheema in PML-N ranks.

The PPP had decided to field Cheema for NA-92 in its London meeting but subsequently ticket was withdrawn from him and was given to Chaudhry Khalid Bashir, who is a known transporter of the area. This had annoyed Cheema and he was thinking of quitting the party. After making up his mind, he went to Faisalabad to attend Nawaz Sharif’s public meeting on Monday, which paved the way of his joining the PML-N.