Pakistan Peoples Party leader and former Punjab governor Latif Khosa has jumped ship and announced joining the PTI.

Khosa made this announcement while addressing the media at his residence in Lahore, with a PTI flag wrapped around his neck.

آج میں تحریک انصاف میں شمولیت کا اعلان کرتا ہوں۔ لطیف کھوسہ pic.twitter.com/5p0YfiouMz
— PTI (@PTIofficial) December 17, 2023

Addressing the media, the senior lawyer said Liaquat Ali Khan was shot dead, but the culprits could not be arrested, adding that PP founder Zulfikar Bhutto met the same fate.

He said he wanted to extend an invitation for a new beginning by burying hatred. As per Article 7 of the Constitution, no one owned the country except the people, not even the judiciary, Khosa remarked.

He said Article 5 mentioned loyalty only towards the people and the Constitution. “If we call someone a hero, he is (former CJP) Cornelius. Today, this country is facing persecution. People ask the state to protect their life and property. One should not be afraid to speak the truth,” he insisted.

The former governor further said he hoped that the politics of hatred will end, adding that he did his job as a lawyer as well as politics as worship.

He suggested committing to following the Constitution to move ahead. “Whenever the Constitution has been abrogated, the state has been damaged. When a dictator was waving a fist at former CJP Iftikhar Chaudhry, we were out on the streets,” he added.

“How long will we continue watching the game of removing prime ministers?” Khosa questioned, saying the one who upholds the Constitution became mortal.

He said the nation was once again looking at the courts today, adding that people’s tax money is used to pay salaries to everyone and the institutions have a duty to help the public.

He said he paid tribute to Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa for ensuring elections were held on time, and wished the returning officers and district returning officers for elections were posted from the judiciary.

“This army and the institutions are all ours,” Khosa remarked.