Recent exodus of turncoats from one political party to another after their failure to get a party ticket from their first choice has exposed Pakistani politics for being not one of principles but of opportunity. There is a long list of politicians who recently changed their loyalties when they failed to get party tickets to contest the upcoming general elections and joined other political parties; this speaks volumes for politics of principles or ideology being merely rhetoric.
Those who switched from one party to another include some heavyweights like Sardar Assef Ahmad Ali who parted ways with Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and joined Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) but quit PTI when he was not able to get a party ticket. Assef Ahmad Ali, who also served as Pakistan Foreign Minister during the second tenure of late Benazir Bhutto, is now contesting the upcoming general elections from NA-140 Kasur-III as an independent candidate.
Ayaz Amir, a well known analyst, quit Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and announced his support PTI after the PML-N leadership did not award him the party ticket. Amir had won from Chakwal on PML-N ticket in 2008 general elections. He, however, has reportedly clarified that he was not an aspirant of PML-N ticket and he has not joined the PTI but will extend support to its candidates after PML-N leadership awarded the tickets to those who were part of the Mushrraf government including Lieutenant General Abdul Majeed Malik (retired) and Major Tahir Iqbal (retired).
PTI Attock leader Sardar Mumtaz Khan of Basal, a candidate for PP 19, recently joined Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) after the PTI leadership denied him the ticket for contesting the general elections. Mir Badsha Khan Qaisrani, a renowned politician of D G Khan who has taken bail in the fake degree case, left PML-N and joined the PPP but has now joined hands with the JUI-F after failing to get PPP ticket for polls. Qaisrani is contesting on JUI-F ticket from NA-171 and PP-240 in DG Khan.
Former chairman Senate and PML-Q leader Muhammadmian Soomro has stepped back in favour of his uncle Ilahi Bukhsh Soomro from Jackobabad, who is contesting on PML-N ticket from Jackobabad. Khawaja Mohammad Khan Hoti, who won on ANP ticket in 2008 general elections parted ways with the parent party after he developed differences with the party and joined PTI. However recently Hoti left PTI and joined PML-N to contest the upcoming general elections from NA-9, Mardan.
Recently some die-hard workers and aspirants of PPP tickets in Rawalpindi joined PML-N after the PPP did not award them tickets. Those who joined PML-N after meeting its central leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan include former federal minister Raja Shahid Zafar, former PPP candidate for PP-9 Syed Jaffar Hussain Shah, Chaudhry Masood Advocate the aspirants for PP-10 ticket, and Chaudhry Waris, a former candidate for PP-9.
Additionally, Ghulam Sarwar Khan who served as federal minister in General Musharraf (Retd) regime and twice contested elections for provincial assembly seat on PPP ticket. Khan is now PTI ticket holder and his opponent is PML-N heavyweight Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan from Taxila NA-53.
Sadeeq Khan, PTI candidate for provincial assembly seat PP-7 is the younger brother of Sarwar Khan; he was Tehsil Nazim during Musharraf's era and served as district General Secretary of PML-Q for a long time. While Tamoor Masoud, PTI candidate for provincial assembly PP-8 of Wah Cantt contested 2008 elections on PML-Q league ticket.
Former Senator Jamal Leghari and ex-MNA Owais Leghari parted ways with the PML-Q and joined PTI. Both are contesting the upcoming general elections as independent candidates from D.G. Khan. Sikandar Bosan, who had joined PTI after parting ways with PML-Q recently joined PML-N and will contest the upcoming general elections from Multan.
Inamullah Khan Niazi, close relative of PTI chief Imran Khan parted ways with the PTI after denial of the party ticket. Masood Sharif Khattak, a former CEC member of the PTI is also among those who quit the party after he was denied a party ticket to contest the upcoming general elections. Khattak is contesting as independent candidate from NA-15 Karak.