GUJAR KHAN: Former federal ministers Fawad Chaudhry and Hammad Azhar here on Sunday said Imran Khan was fighting for the sovereignty of Pakistan, not for coming back to power.

The senior members of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) attended an Iftar dinner in the Ludhar area of Jhelum where a large number of party supporters were present.

“Next elections are a few weeks away as preparations for the long march towards Islamabad are underway,” Mr Azhar said, adding “the imported government would soon be sent back and Imran Khan would return with a two-third majority in the National Assembly.”

Fawad Chaudhry said the one who stabs their friends in the back cannot be trusted. Referring to his cousin and disgruntled PTI MNA from NA-66 (Jhelum-I) Chaudhry Farrukh Altaf, Mr Fawad said his politics would have been buried long ago if he was not given a PTI ticket in 2018.

Many of the local PTI workers were not in favour of awarding the ticket to Mr Altaf but Imran Khan was kind enough. However, he left Imran Khan in hard times, the former minister said.

“You can either become rich or become honourable, and we chose respect and did not change sides.” He said NA-66 would be won by the PTI candidate as it was won in the name of Imran Khan last time.

”When I contested the election from Pind Dadan Khan in 2018, I chose a leader of good stature. If you choose dwarfs as leaders, they cannot lead you,” he said.

Pakistanis living in Europe and America understand how they are looked down upon because of Islamophobia and Imran Khan raised the issue that got international attention, he said.

Meanwhile, disgruntled PTI MNA Chaudhry Farrukh Altaf announced that he would contest the next elections on the ticket of the PML-N.

Speaking at a Iftar dinner arranged in Dina city, Mr Altaf said the three-year government of the PTI was the worst in the history of Pakistan.

He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had all the capabilities to solve public issues and Pakistan would progress under his leadership.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2022