Former Chief Minister Pervez Khattak may have joined the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) after losing the February 8th elections in his hometown.
A report by Bol News claimed that Khattak had approached key PPP figures, including Raja Pervez Ashraf and Khursheed Shah, to explore the possibility of his inclusion in the party. However, he has been informed that any decision regarding his membership would need the endorsement of PPP’s local leadership.
In Nowshera, PPP leader Elias Khan confirmed that discussions about Khattak’s potential induction have been held with the PPP Nowshera’s general secretary, Saeed Ullah. It was also mentioned that Khattak hosted an Iftar dinner in Islamabad for the PPP Nowshera leadership as part of his efforts.
There were discussions about Khattak’s possible roles within PPP. Notably, his potential appointment as the Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was mentioned, with Elias noting that this would be deliberated upon by PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, although no decisions have been finalized.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has also requested time to consult with the widow of the late PPP leader Liaqat Shabab from Nowshera, who previously had disagreements with Khattak, before making any final decisions.
Khattak is also reportedly trying to mend fences with his brother Liaqat Khattak, who is affiliated with JUI-F.
This political manoeuvring follows the significant electoral losses experienced by Khattak and his family members, who were ousted from their seats by younger PTI members. Ahad Khattak defeated Khattak in the National Assembly constituency and by PTI leader Khalique ur Rehman in PP-87. Likewise, his son-in-law, Imran Khattak, lost his National Assembly seat to PTI’s Zulfiqar Ahmad and his provincial assembly seat to Umar Farooq Kakakhel.
