Raja Riaz Ahmed, a former Member of the National Assembly, has officially become a member of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) after a meeting with Nawaz Sharif.
Raja Riaz arrived in London, where he had discussions with PML-N leaders Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif, expressing his unwavering confidence in their leadership. During this encounter, he made his decision to join the party public.
The meeting also included the presence of Senator Ishaq Dar, Mian Nasir Janjua, Ataullah Tarar, Malik Ahmad Khan, Azam Nazir Tarar, and Amjad Parvez.
Before the meeting, Raja Riaz, the former opposition leader, addressed reporters, indicating that he intends to engage in political discussions regarding Nawaz Sharif’s return and the upcoming elections.
He emphasized that crucial decisions would be reached in the coming days and expressed optimism about PML-N’s prospects in the upcoming elections.
Regarding the election schedule, he anticipated that the polls would occur around February 15, adding, “I have mentioned February 15 as the election date, with a possibility of it taking place a week before or after.”
Raja Riaz highlighted Nawaz Sharif’s significant following, stating that upon his return, Nawaz Sharif would receive a warm reception due to his strong voter base.
He also underscored the PML-N’s enduring presence in the political landscape, asserting that Nawaz Sharif wouldn’t have returned if the party had shied away from participating in the elections.
It’s worth noting that Raja Riaz previously served as the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly following the removal of Imran Khan as Prime Minister.
In March 2022, he was one of the 20 PTI MNAs who joined the opposition to successfully pass a vote of no-confidence against Prime Minister Imran Khan.
This motion was ratified by the National Assembly in April 2022, resulting in the downfall of the PTI government. Subsequently, as a significant number of PTI MNAs resigned in protest, Raja Riaz was appointed as the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly.
