Prominent AJK Leaders Join PPP in Meeting with President Zardari

Several prominent leaders from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), including former Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, formally joined the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Wednesday during a meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari at Zardari House, Karachi.

The delegation led by Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, who previously served as AJK’s Prime Minister, included Advisor on Prisons Sardar Ahmad Saghir, MLA Ali Shan Soni, and Sardar Umar Tanveer, according to an official statement issued by the President House Press Wing.

President Zardari welcomed the new entrants into the PPP, expressing confidence in their contributions to strengthening the party’s presence in AJK. He congratulated them on their decision and reiterated the PPP’s commitment to democratic values and inclusive politics.

The meeting was attended by several senior PPP figures, underscoring the importance of the occasion. Among them were:

* Faryal Talpur, President PPP Women’s Wing and sister of President Zardari
* Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider
* Former AJK President Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan
* Saleem Mandviwalla, senior PPP leader
* Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, Chaudhry Muhammad Riaz, and Sardar Zia Qamar

From Sindh’s provincial leadership, Home Minister Zia-ul-Hasan Lanjar, Provincial Minister Haji Ali Hassan Zardari, and MPA Sohail Anwar Siyal were also present, further demonstrating the PPP’s nationwide unity.

Participants of the meeting held comprehensive discussions on Pakistan’s prevailing political and economic challenges. The leaders emphasized the urgency of promoting national reconciliation, unity, and formulating practical strategies to address public welfare concerns. The induction of influential AJK figures is expected to bolster PPP’s grassroots influence in the region ahead of future political contests.