Mumtaz Bhutto's Sindh National Front merges with PTI

ISLAMABAD: Former Sindh governor Mumtaz Bhutto’s Sindh National Front (SNF) was merged with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Friday in a bid to give the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) a tough time in next general elections.     

The announcement about the merger was made during a joint press conference held by Bhutto’s son Ameer Bux Bhutto and PTI vice president Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

In May this year, PTI chief Imran Khan had extended an invitation to SNF chief Mumtaz Bhutto to join his party.

Former Sindh governor, a first cousin of PPP founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, had recently ditched the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) for failing to take interest in the issues the people of Sindh province are facing. He had merged the party with the PML-N before the 2013 general elections.

Speaking at the presser, the PTI vice president extended felicitations to the SNF chief on the behalf of Imran Khan for merging the party with PTI.

He said the PTI will not disappoint Bhutto and will work for the betterment of the province, calling on the people of Sindh to vote for the PTI this time around. He said he foresaw the PTI as a strong political force in the province.

He conceded that his party did not pay heed to the problems of the province in the past.

Addressing the media, Ameer said the decision to merge the party with the PTI was taken with consensus as it is the only party which struggles for change in the country.

Touching upon current affairs, Qureshi said his party did not want the next polls to get delayed. It is the only party which desired early and fair elections.

Reiterating the demand for the resignation of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, he questioned how the minister preoccupied with his personal problems will look after the country’s economic matters.

He claimed Dar was under stress because of the opening of Hudaibya Paper Mills case.