ISLAMABAD: In a move underscoring the evolving political landscape in the country, Nawabzada Mohsin Ali Khan, a former stalwart of the embattled Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), formally joined the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Friday.
Khan, who had earlier expressed unwavering support for PTI chief Imran Khan’s leadership, has now extended allegiance to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision, marking a notable shift in the province’s political contours.
The defection comes at a time of considerable flux within the political landscape, where ideological consistency often takes a backseat to strategic recalibration.
During a meeting with the prime minister, accompanied by his son and several close associates, in the presence of Federal Minister Amir Muqam – who leads the PML-N’s efforts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – Khan endorsed the party’s developmental agenda and pledged to advance its policies in the province.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the move and called on Khan to play an active role in strengthening the party’s presence in the province. The development comes amid growing fissures within the PTI and escalating political competition across key constituencies.
Khan’s political journey has been marked by multiple shifts in party affiliation, reflecting a trajectory driven more by political pragmatism than ideological commitment.
A longstanding political figure in Karak district, he has contested elections at both the provincial and national levels under various party banners.
In the 1988 and 1990 general elections, Khan won the PF-33 (Karak-II) seat as a candidate of the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI), defeating Zafar Azam on both occasions.
He later joined the Awami National Party (ANP) and played an active role in the 2014 Political Parties Joint Committee on FATA Reforms, advocating for constitutional integration and democratic representation in the erstwhile tribal areas.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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