LAHORE, Nov 23: Imran Khan spent a busy day here on Wednesday, welcoming five old faces as new entrants to his Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf (PTI) and holding two press conferences to reiterate his pledge to “cleanse the politics of families and mafias”.

First to join the PTI was columnist Shafqat Mahmood, who has been former PPP senator, a caretaker minister in president Farooq Leghari’s cabinet and finally minister during Pervez Musharraf’s regime. He invited Khan to his residence to announce his decision to join the PTI.

Mahmood said the law and order had collapsed and corruption knew no bounds. “In such circumstances only a clean and upright leadership can save the country and Khan is the only leader who fits the frame. He is a clean leader and no one can question his integrity,” he told media men who gathered there.

Khan, on his part, welcomed the new entrant to the PTI, saying that “time would prove his decision right”. Currently, the leadership of both main parties is vested in two families, who have turned into “political mafias, anointing their kids for leadership and it is very crucial to clear politics of them if country has to prosper”, he said.

Mahmood has of late been very close to the PML-N leadership and has reportedly been a consultant on many projects in the Punjab government. The PML-N was expecting him in the party because of his closeness to the Punjab chief minister and party president Nawaz Sharif. Both of them have been his supporters despite reservations of many second ring leaders.

“It is hugely embarrassing for the PML-N leadership, which has been acting on his advice on many issues and receiving assurances of sincerity,” says a party leader. With him jilting the PML-N, Nawaz and Shahbaz must have felt personally betrayed, he claimed.

Later, Khan addressed another press conference at his residence, where he greeted Chaudhry Asghar Ali – former president of the PPP Lahore. Neelum Shah of the ANP and Zia Khan (former MPA of the PML-N) also joined the party. There are many nazims and naib nazims of the PML-Q who also joined the party.

Khan faced a barrage of questions regarding the logic of accepting all old faces and still insisting on change, but he reiterated:

“It is the leadership that matters. Only people with clean reputation will be given party tickets. Anyone can join, but only clean candidates will represent the party.”

He claimed the Punjab government was not allowing rally in Shujaabad and warned the PML-N that such tactics would not scare the PTI away from its commitment. He said the Punjab government sealed PTI office out of politics and had already been given an ultimatum. “If it does not desist, it will face street power of the PTI,” he warned.

Khan took the occasion to demand a Supreme Court-led inquiry into the memo affair. He said it had been a national embarrassment, which needed to “properly taken care of”.

He supported choice of Sherry Rehman as ambassador to the USA.