Making inroads into PPP: Three prominent Sindh families in contact with PTI?

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is once again trying to make inroads into the political stronghold of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) with insiders claiming that influential members of three prominent families of Sindh are in 'secret contacts' with Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Arif Alvi.

"PTI Chairman Imran Khan recently met disgruntled PPP leader Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza during his visit to Karachi. But at the same time Shah Mehmood Qureshi established secret contacts in last few weeks with some influential members of Ghotki-based Mehr and Hala-based Makhdoom families. Arif Alvi is in constant touch with Mumtaz Bhutto who is now not expected to join the PML-N," the sources said.  

The sources said former president Asif Ali Zardari wasted no time in meeting the members of Mehr family after his return to Pakistan but former Sindh chief minister and sitting MNA Ali Muhammad Khan Mehr did not appear in the meeting.

"PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi has made contacts with Ali Muhammad Khan Mehr and is trying to convince him to join the PTI. Shah Mehmood Qureshi also joined the PTI during a public meeting in Ghotki on November 27,2011," the sources said.

Currently 12 'sardars' dominate politics in Ghotki district and the PTI leaders are trying to convince at least three of them to join their party in the coming months.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi has also approached Makhdoom Jamiluzzaman and Makhdoom Saeeduzzaman who both had sent disturbing signals to the PPP in March 2016 stating, “We have complaints that the PPP lawmakers are ignoring our followers. They always remember Makhdoom House and our followers at the time of elections but after winning their seats, they turn away their [Sarwari Jamaat] voters when approached for any work.”

The sources said a meeting of Imran Khan with Makhdoom brothers is not in sight in the coming days as contacts between them are at the initial stage and there are many things to be done to move ahead in this respect.

The sources said Arif Alvi is working on former Sindh chief minister Mumtaz Bhutto and both of them had made telephonic contacts in the recent weeks. 

Mumtaz Bhutto wants assurance directly from Imran Khan on some issues due to which they can have a meeting soon.

Despite repeated attempts by this correspondent PTI leaders Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Arif Alvi and Naeemul Haq were not available for comments.

—Originally published in The News