Humayun Akhtar Khan, former federal minister and secretary general of the PML-Likeminded, visited Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan at his bed in Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital on Monday.
Humayun Khan wished Imran Khan a speedy recovery and the two discussed the current political situation and the post-election scenario, said an official statement regarding the meeting.
The meeting signals a likely shift in direction for the PML-Likeminded, as Humayun Khan had previously opposed the faction’s joining with the PTI and had sought to move it closer to the PML-Nawaz.
The PML-N denied the former federal minister a ticket for the general elections from Faisalabad and Lahore. While the PTI had sought to make him its candidate at NA-125, he chose to sit out the polls. The PML-N also refused a party ticket to Likeminded Chairman Hamid Nasir Chattha from Wazirabad.
PTI and PML-N officials said that Humayun Khan joining the PTI might cause trouble for the PML-N. Having Humayun Khan on its side would help the PTI build greater inroads in Lahore, where it already has the support of former district nazim Mian Amir Mehmood and his allies Abdul Aleem Khan and Mian Aslam Iqbal.
Correction: An earlier version of the article incorrectly captioned the picture. The error is regretted.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 21st, 2013.