- Khattak’s Inclusion raises concerns among PML-N leaders.
- Some leaders avoided talking to him for 15-16 years.
- Claims of Punjab residence preference within PML-N raised.
Islamabad: Some Pakistani Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders have expressed reservations over the inclusion of Perez Khattak, a former densely aid of Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI)-founding chairman Imran Khan, in the federal cabinet.
Talking about Pakinomist News’ Program Naya Pakistan, PML-N leader Ikhtiar Wali said certain party members were unhappy with including Khatakk, who served as Defense Minister and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister under PTI’s separate hiring, in the cabinet.
He revealed that due to previous political differences, some PML-N leaders had refrained from talking to Khattak in the last 15 to 16 years.
Wali also claimed that within PML-N there was a growing perception that without a Punjab residence they are often sidelined in the party.
Khattak was among more than politicians appointed for the federal cabinet last week. The former PTI leader has become an adviser to the Prime Minister.
As a result, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif doubled the federal cabinet strength and took the total strength of 25 to 50, with the appointment of 12 federal ministers, nine state states, three advisers to the prime minister and four special assistants to the Prime Minister.
Khattak had stepped down from his position in PTI in June 2023 in the wake of the riots on May 9, and later formed his own party, PTI parliamentarians.
After a humiliating people’s election campaign, where he could not win any of the seats he contested, the former defense minister stepped down from his party position.
