As anticipated, former federal Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat resigned from the PPP and aligned with the PML-N before the forthcoming general elections.
As per a Dawn report, the shift in Hayat’s party affiliation was anticipated to be announced on Monday or Tuesday during the expected visit of PML-N leaders Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif to Jewana. However, the announcement took place today (Wednesday) at Hayat’s residence in Shah Jewana, witnessed solely by Shehbaz, with the absence of his elder brother and party head.
“We firmly believe that Hayat’s inclusion will fortify the PML-N, particularly in Jhang and Chiniot, as well as in his other constituencies,” Shehbaz remarked while welcoming Hayat to the party.
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He highlighted Hayat’s presence as a means to strengthen Nawaz’s leadership, expressing confidence in Nawaz Sharif’s potential fourth term as Prime Minister, attributing to him qualities beyond mere politics, emphasizing his statesmanship.
Hayat, previously associated with both the PPP and PML-Q, had signaled last week his imminent switch in allegiance. During his nomination filing last Friday for NA-108 and PP-125, his supporters arrived in large numbers without carrying any PPP flags.
Hayat initially left the PPP during the Musharraf regime, later joining the PML-Q, and subsequently rejoining the PPP in 2017. Despite contesting as the PPP candidate in the 2018 general election, he lost by a margin of just 600 votes in a recount to PTI’s Sahibzada Muhammad Mehboob Sultan. The PML-N refrained from fielding any candidate in his constituency during the last election cycle.
