MPA Ziaullah Afridi defects to PPP after being rebuffed by PTI

PESHAWAR: Disgruntled MPA of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ziaullah Afridi, has joined Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) after he met the party’s co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari on Monday.

Ziaullah spoke to Geo News regarding his defection, saying he has joined the PPP sans any condition. The MPA added he was confident of the party’s leadership.

On the other hand, the central leadership of PPP has welcomed Ziaullah to their party.

While reacting to Ziaullah’s defection, PTI’s Shah Farman said the MPA had the qualities of becoming a PPP member as he has been involved in corrupt practices and is also on bail.

Earlier reports suggested Ziaullah would join Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

Ziaullah was arrested on corruption charges by the KP Ehtesab Commission, which filed references against him in the accountability court. He was the first minister to have been arrested during the rule of his own party. The PTI leadership subsequently expelled him from the party.

During his custody, a number of politicians from the ANP, JUI-F, PML-N, etc met Ziaullah when he was shifted from the Peshawar Central Prison to the Lady Reading Hospital for treatment. At the time, Ziaullah’s aides used to claim that the leaders of these parties had invited him to join their party.

Ziaullah Afridi has been particularly critical of KP Chief Minister Pervez Khattak since his release from the jail. He has accused him inside and outside the provincial assembly of failing to implement the PTI manifesto and also involvement in corruption.