ISLAMABAD: Around a dozen of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders,including sitting as well as former lawmakers, have announced to joinPakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), causing a setback to the ruling party.

According to details, after meeting PTI Chairman Imran Khan at his BaniGala residence in Islamabad, the disgruntled PML-N politicians announcedjoining PTI. They expressed confidence in the manifesto and leadership ofImran Khan.

MNA from Jhang Ghulam Bibi Bharvana and Sahibzada Nazir Sultan met ImranKhan on Thursday and joined his party. Sahibzada Nazir Sultan had won theelection from Jhang as an independent candidate before joining the PML-N.

In addition, PMLN MNA Ghulam Rasool Sahi and former speaker Afzal Sahicalled on Imran Khan at Bani Gali and announced PTI.

“I am joining the PTI as a patriotic Pakistani. I cannot remain associatedwith the PML-N anymore,” he said. Ghulam Rasool Sahi was elected as MNAfrom NA-75 in Faisalabad after 2013 elections.

Other leaders including PML-N MPA Azam Cheela, Ghulam Ahmed Gadi, SheikhYaqoob, Rashida Yaqoob, Aslam Bharvana, Asif Kathia and ChaudhryShehbaz also joined the PTI.

The recent statement of ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif has sparked angeramong the politicians as several PML-N leaders have expressed concernsduring parliamentary meeting that was headed by newly-elected partypresident and Chief Minister of Punjab (CM) Shehbaz Sharif.