Nabil Gabol opens up about differences with Zulfiqar Mirza

KARACHI: Former MNA Nabil Gabol, who rejoined the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) earlier this week after nearly four years of estrangement, has opened up about his differences with former Sindh Home Minister Zulfikar Mirza.

Gabol had left the PPP for Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in 2013, but left the Karachi-based party after only two years in 2015. He has now rejoined the PPP, following a meeting with the party's co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

"I had differences with Zulfiqar Mirza, the root cause of which was that Lyari was virtually handed over to the [People's] Aman Committee," Gabol said, speaking on Geo News program 'Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath' on Friday.

He claimed that Imran Khan thrice invited him to join the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), but that he instead decided to rejoin the PPP.

With about a year to go to for the general elections in 2018, a rising number of politicians are switching loyalties. Surprisingly, those changing sides are not joining the ruling Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) but the PPP.

Gabol is among a rising number of former PPP leaders who have returned to the party in recent months.

Some figures, who previously had the reputation of being staunch PPP opponents, are also seen joining the PPP.

On Friday, PML-N leader and former Sindh lawmaker, Irfanullah Marwat – who until now was considered a vocal PPP critic – joined the Bilawal Bhutto-led PPP.

Nadir Akmal Laghari, another opponent and former president of the PTI's Sindh chapter, also announced that he is joining the PPP.

Last month, Faisal Saleh Hayat, who had not only raised allegations against the PPP but moved the court against it, also returned to his party.

Apart from these figures, Pakistan Muslim League-Functional leader and former opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly, Jam Madad Ali, also joined the PPP in December, 2016.

In August 2016, Imtiaz Sheikh also shifted his loyalties from PML-F to PPP, following his meeting with Asif Ali Zardari in Dubai. Prior to that, he had left the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid for PML-F.