The stronghold of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was cracked after former federal minister Pervez Khattak Monday announced a new political party named Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarians (PTI-P), reported 24NewsHD TV channel, quoting its sources.

As many as 57 former lawmakers of the PTI including KP ex-chief minister Mahmood Khan, ex-provincial minister Ishtiaq Urmar and Shaukat Alizai announced their support for Pervez Khattak.

Ziaullah Bangash, Iftikhar Mashwani, Yaqoob Shaikh, Ikramullah Gandapur, Pir Muswir Shah, and Saleh Muhammad were among the PTI ex-lawmakers who joined the new party.

Arbab Waseem Hayat, Syed Ghazi Ghazan Jamal, Anwar Zeb Khan, Nawabzada Farid Salahuddin, Mohibullah Khan, Irfan Kundi, Ramazan Shori, Aurangzeb, Mufti Ubaid and Atiq Hadi were also among those who joined the new party.

More ex-lawmakers of the PTI are likely to announce joining Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarians.

Pervez Khattak has been appointed as the party chief. All the political leaders in the new party held PTI Chairman Imran Khan responsible for the May 9 incidents.

“We strongly condemned the incidents of May 9. We all exist because Pakistan exists,” Pervez Khattak said.

It is to be noted here that the KP was considered to be the stronghold of the PTI as the party formed its first government in the province in 2013.

It is worth mentioning here that 24NewsHD TV channel had reported on June 8 last that Pervez Khattak was going to form a new party.

Reporter: Kifayat Ali Shah