Politicians from various districts of South Punjab met former president Asif Ali Zardari in Lahore and announced joining the Pakistan People's Party(PPP).

Asif Zardari welcomed the newcomers. Yousuf Raza Gilani, Nayar Bukhari, Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood and Hassan Murtaza were also present.

Politicians from Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, Bahanagar, Mianwali, Okara, and Khanewal joined the PPP.

They include Rasool Bakhsh Jatoi, Qutb Fareed Karija, Sardar Shamsher Mazari, Syed Qaim Ali, Sardar Allah Bakhsh Leghari, Peer Jafar Muzamal Shah, Mian Alamdar Qureshi, Abdul Ghafoor Arain, Yasir Atta Qureshi, Raees Akmal, Fareeha Batul, Abdul Aziz, Jafar Muzamil Shah, Muhammad Alamdar, Abbas Qureshi, Malik Abdul Ghaffar, Yasir Atta Qureshi, Syed Jameel Shah, Syed Rashid Shah, Sheikh Dilshad Ahmed, Syed Bilal Mustafa, Syed Tahsin Nawaz, Ali Haider Watto, Mian Salman Ayub, Mian Ameer Haider, Ayaz Khan, Amjad Khan Niazi and Umar Masood Farooqui.

Addressing a press conference, Yousaf Raza Gilani said former president Asif Ali Zardari's meetings with friends are going on.

Flanked by Nayyar Bukhari and  Hasan Murtaza, he said during the meetings, internal and external affairs came under discussion. He added many people have joined the Pakistan People's Party.

The former prime minister said the PPP is a democratic party that has always laid stress on negotiations. Nadeem Afzal Chan, and Syed Hasan Murtaza also met with Asif Ali Zardari