First PTI wicket falls
\nFor the development of my constituency and my people, I have joined Muslim League-Noon again, says Qadir
\nIslamabad
\nPakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed independent candidate Waseem Qadir, who had won the February 8 elections from the National Assembly\u2019s NA-121 constituency in Lahore, has announced joining the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
\nIn a video statement released by the Nawaz Sharif-led party, Qadir could be seen with PML-N leaders \u2014 including Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz \u2014 and saying that he\u2019s \u201cback home\u201d.
\nThe loss of the Lahore seat, which Qadir won by defeating PML-N\u2019s Sheikh Rohail Asgher by a margin of more than 8,000 votes, is a major setback for the PTI as the PML-N and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have already said that they\u2019ll be seeking the support of independent candidates for coming into power.
\n\u201cI am Waseem Qadir. I was PTI\u2019s Lahore secretary-general. I have returned to my home,\u201d the ex-PTI leader said, who is the first elected member to desert the party post-elections.
\n\u201cFor the development of my constituency and my people, I have joined Muslim League-Noon again,\u201d Qadir said.
\nThe party of former prime minister Nawaz is second with 79 seats after Thursday\u2019s vote, lacking a clear majority but it is the largest single party in parliament as Imran Khan-backed independents ran as individuals.
\nFollowing the election results, both PTI and PML-N declared victory, adding to the uncertainty as the country faces numerous urgent challenges, including negotiating a new International Monetary Fund programme to keep a struggling economy afloat.
\nA prime ministerial candidate has to show a simple majority of 169 seats in the National Assembly when the house is called in the coming days. This will be determined by coalition talks and whether Khan-backed candidates are able to join a smaller party in parliament to form a single bloc to gain reserve seats.
\nIn the lead-up to the elections, Qadir campaigned and called on the people to vote for him as he was the candidate of the incarcerated Khan. The PTI had, prior to the elections, cautioned that independents might switch loyalties, but at the same time, hoped that they would not desert the party.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
First PTI wicket falls For the development of my constituency and my people, I have joined Muslim League-Noon again, says Qadir Islamabad Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed independent candidate Waseem Qadir, who had won the February 8 elections from the National Assembly\u2019s NA-121 constituency in Lahore, has announced joining the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). In a video […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":386521,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-386507","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n