LAHORE – Former speaker of the National Assembly Syed Fakhar Imam on Saturday announced to join the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after meeting PML-N President Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif in Model Town.

Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif welcomed Fakhar Imam in the party and said his decision will give a political boost to the party.  Nawaz said that the PML-N is a national party which presented a revolutionary manifesto for the forthcoming general elections.

According to sources, following the joining of Fakhar Imam his spouse, Syeda Abida Hussain and his daughter and PPP Senator Sughra Imam are also expected to join the PML-N.

Imam lost the last elections as PML-Q candidate to Pakistan People’s Party’s Muhammad Raja Hayat Heraj from NA-156, Khanewal. His association with the PML-N will put him in a stronger position to win the next elections from the same constituency.

Sources say that if Abida Hussain also switched over to the PML-N, she would be the potential candidate against her traditional political rival Faisal Saleh Hayat of PML-Q from Jhang. 

Separately, former PPP MNA from Jahanian Iftikhar Nazir also announced to join the PML-N during a meeting with Shahbaz Sharif at his Model Town house. Iftikhar said he joined the PML-N unconditionally.

He said that Shahbaz Sharif has laid the foundation of a real change in Punjab by his public service.

Shahbaz Sharif said that popularity of the PML-N is increasing day by day and it will achieve a thumping success in elections. He said that May 11 is the day when destiny of the nation would be changed.

He said that PPP would reap what it sowed during the last five-year, adding that inefficiency of former rulers of Islamabad has pushed the nation to the wall and 18-hour loadshedding was demonstrating incompetence and corruption of Zardari gang.

The chief minister said that Zardari gang destroyed economy, industry and agriculture, besides devastating national institutions which resulted in unemployment, poverty and lawlessness.