Political landscape shifts as former PTI lawmakers forge new alliances

ISLAMABAD: A significant number of lawmakers who contested the 2018 general election on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) tickets will compete in the 2024 elections as political rivals. More than 200 former members of parliament (MPs), both members of the National Assembly (MNAs) and members of provincial assemblies (MPAs), who left the PTI, have now joined other political parties. Approximately 65 former MPs are still indecisive, as they have not revealed their future course of action ahead of the upcoming general election.

Investigations conducted by the Hum Investigation Team (HIT) revealed that about 230 MNAs and MPAs have parted ways with the PTI, constituting 61 percent of total parliamentarians. The HIT investigations stated that 210 parliamentarians, accounting for 56 percent of the total, who left PTI, have joined various political parties. The PTI parliamentarians who left the party have joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Parliamentarians (PTI-P), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Awami National Party (ANP), and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F).

The data shows that about 70 PTI parliamentarians have joined IPP, constituting 18 percent of the total; 60 PTI parliamentarians have joined PML-N, constituting 16 percent of the total; 40 parliamentarians have joined PTI-P, constituting 11 percent of the total. Additionally, 25 PTI parliamentarians have joined PPP, 10 have joined MQM-P, and five have joined JUI-F and ANP. Meanwhile, 80 PTI parliamentarians who left the party, constituting 21 percent of the total, have not yet decided to join any political party.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Parliamentarians (PTI-P)

About 40 MNAs and MPAs of PTI across Pakistan, who announced their departure from the party, have joined PTI-P. Former MNAs from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Shaukat Ali, Imran Khattak, Saleh Muhammad Khan, Sher Akbar Khan, Yaqoob Sheikh, Pervez Khattak, Muhammad Yaqoob Sheikh, have joined PTI-P. Similarly, former MPAs from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Mahmood Khan, Azizullah Khan, Qalandar Khan Lodhi, Azam Khan, Ibrahim Khattak, Iqbal Wazir, Syed Muhammad Ishtiaq Urmar, Zia Ullah Khan Bangash, Arbab Waseem Hayat, Syed Ghazi Ghazan Jamal, Anwarzeb Khan, Nawabzada Farid Salahuddin, Muhibullah Khan, have also become part of PTI-P. From Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 39 former parliamentarians of PTI announced to join PTI-P, while only members from Sindh announced their decision to join PTI-P.

Two former PTI chief ministers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa founded the Parliamentarian on July 17, 2023. Political commentators and experts say that the parliamentarian party can not only defeat PTI in forming the government in the province but also win many important seats.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)

About 60 MNAs and MPAs of PTI across Pakistan, who announced their departure from the party, have joined PML-N. Former MNAs from Punjab, including Afzal Dhandla, Raja Riaz, Samiul Hassan Gilani, Wajiha Qamar, Aamir Talal Gopang, Sardar Ashiq Hussain Gopang, have joined PML-N. Similarly, from Punjab, ex-MPAs Sardar Mansib Dogar, Farooq Raza Manika, MPA Nizamuddin Sialvi, Asif Abbas, and Mian Majid Raza Nawaz, Bisharat Randhawa, Qaiser Magsi, Intisar Bhatti, Ahsan Ansar Bhatti, Nighat Intisar Bhatti, Uzma Kardar, Rai Haider Ali Khan, Chaudhary Ashraf, Rana Muhammad Afzal, Dost Mazari, Mohammad Salman Naeem have joined PML-N. From Punjab, 53 former parliamentarians of PTI announced to join PML-N. Two each former parliamentarian from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh, and three from Balochistan announced their decision to join PML-N.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)

About 25 MNAs and MPAs of PTI across Pakistan, who announced their departure from the party, have joined PPP. Former MNAs from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Usman Tarakai, Jawad Hussain, Dr. Haider Ali, have joined PPP. Moreover, former MNAs from Punjab, including Jawad Hussain, Khawaja Ghulam Rasool Koreja alias Qutub Farid Koreja, Chaudhry Asghar Jatt, have also become part of PPP. Similarly, former MPAs from Punjab, including Rasool Bakhsh Jatoi, Syed Irfan Gardezi, Shazia Abid, Muhammad Aslam Abro, have also joined PPP.

From Punjab, 18 former parliamentarians of PTI announced to join the PPP. While four members from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and three from Sindh have become part of the PPP.

Istehkam e Pakistan Party (IPP)

Approximately 70 MNAs and MPAs of PTI across Pakistan, who announced their departure from the party, have joined IPP. Former MNAs from Punjab, including Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Mansoor Hayat Khan, Aamir Mehmood Kiani, Farrukh Habib, Sardar Talib Nakai, and Fawad Chaudhry, have joined IPPP. Similarly, ex-MPAs of PTI from Punjab who joined IPP include Amar Siddiqu Khan, Chaudhry Muhammad Afzal, Basim Dogar, Sumsam Bukhari, Malik Nouman Ahmed Langrial, Pir Mukhar, Niaz Gishkori, Rafaqat Ali Gilani, Ghazanfar Chiana, Dr. Seemi Bukhari, Chaudhry Iftikhar Gilani, and others. Amin Ali Agha, Saeed Akbar Nawani, Farooq Hussain, Malik Nadeem, Khurram Leghari, and Syed Saeed ul Hassan of Punjab have also become part of IPP. Moreover, former MNA of PTI from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Shaukat Ali and ex-MPA Gulzar Khan have also joined IPP. From Punjab, 60 former parliamentarians of PTI have joined IPP, six from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and four from Sindh.

Two former senior PTI leaders laid the foundation of Istehkam e Pakistan Party (IPP) on October 15, 2023. Political analysts are of the view that IPP will not only give a tough time to PTI in Punjab but will also gain more seats.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P):

Umar Umiri, Imran Ali Shah, Sanjay Gangwani, Sachind Lakhwani, Rabia Azfar, Mohammad Ali Aziz, Bilal Ahmed along with others have joined the MQM Pakistan.

Awami National Party (ANP)

Former provincial members of PTI Sikandar Irfan and Sultan Mohammad Khan along with others have joined the ANP.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F)

Former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa MNA Nasir Musa Zai and MPA Isbamli Liaquat Khattak along with others have joined the JUI-F.