BAHAWALPUR: A scion of the late Nawab Sadiq Abbasi has joined the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) after quitting the PTI much to the surprise of political circles.

The news of Sahibzada Usman Abbasi’s (son of the late Prince Daud Abbasi), joining the PPP was aired by some TV channels on Friday night. According to the news channels, Usman Abbasi met Asif Ali Zardari and announced joining his party.

PPP district vice-president Malik Shah Muhammad Channar confirmed to Dawn Usman Abbasi’s decision to join the PPP but declined to tell when his meeting with Mr Zardari took place.

Shahzain Abbasi, another son of Usman Abbasi, told this correspondent that his father had joined the PPP after the PTI accommodated their rivals (a reference to Nawab Salahuddin Abbasi). He said Gazain, a former MPA, was still with the PTI.

Usman Abbasi had remained a deputy speaker of the Punjab Assembly.

Shahzain Abbasi had announced his decision to join the PPP during the visit of Bilwal Bhutto-Zardari to Multan some time ago.

Shahzain said his father would like to contest from NA-173 -- a constituency for which Bahawal Abbasi, son of Nawab Salahuddin Abbasi, could be an aspirant. He said he might go for PP-251 while his brother Gazain was seeking the PTI ticket for PP-253.

Published in Dawn, June 3rd, 2018