Bakhtawar, Aseefa displeased with Marwat joining PPP

KARACHI: Bakhtawar and Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, daughters of former president and Pakistan People's Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Saturday expressed extreme displeasure over Irfanullah Marwat joining the PPP fold.

With about a year to go to 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.

Some figures, who had the reputation of being staunch PPP opponents, are also seen joining the PPP. Marwat is one of them.

Previously affiliated with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and former Sindh Assembly member, Irfanullah Marwat joined the PPP on Friday. He was considered a staunch critic and opponent of the People's Party, until the moment he joined it.

Marwat's affiliation with the PPP didn't go down well with many PPP supporters and now it has clearly irked Bakhtawar and Aseefa as well.

Bakhtawar took to Twitter on Saturday to censure Irfanullah Marwat.

"Sick man should be rotting in a jail cell somewhere not coming anywhere near #PPP. Party that was led by a woman will not tolerate such ppl," she wrote in her tweet, referring to Marwat.

Sick man should be rotting in a jail cell somewhere not coming anywhere near #PPP. Party that was led by a woman will not tolerate such ppl. https://t.co/2gBTSzsWHf

— Bakhtawar B-Zardari (@BakhtawarBZ) February 25, 2017

Aseefa also joined her sister in disapproving of Marwat, saying, "Mr Irfanullah Marwat should not be in PPP".

Mr Irfanullah Marwat should not be in #PPP 1 of the core PPP values is respect for women! His repulsive&illegal actions are reprehensible

— Aseefa B Zardari (@AseefaBZ) February 25, 2017

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

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.

Besides these past opponents, some politicians, who were previously affiliated with the PPP but had abandoned their ties for some reason, are also rejoining the party.

Among them are Faisak Saleh Hayat and Nabeel Gabol, who rejoined the PPP ranks after years of estrangement.