Islamabad: Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader Muhammad Zubair has said that former federal minister and an ex-confidant of Imran Khan, Fawad Chaudhry and his associates, are working on a minus-Imran Khan formula.

While speaking in a show on a local news channel, Muhammad Zubair – referring to the May 9 riots – said that PTI workers were not prepared to go to that extent.

Zubair said that the political situation has drastically changed after May 9 riots, adding that “PTI leaders understand that PTI chief have to step back, so the party will move forward.”

He asserted that former PTI leader Jahangir Tareen’s group is still active and that there are other factions inside the PTI, some of whom have joined the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and others who want to start their own party.

He stated in response to a query that “if we issue tickets to PTI members again, it will result in defeat to the PML-N.” He added that giving tickets to the politicians who are leaving the PTI would also have an impact on the PML-N’s support base.

Zubair’s statement came after the PTI defector, Fawad Chaudhry, met with PTI vice-chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Adiala jail on Wednesday.

A delegation of PTI defectors comprising the party’s bigwigs, Fawad Chaudhry, Imran Ismail, Mahmood Maulvi and Aamir Kiani, met Qureshi in prison and tried to convince him to part ways with Imran Khan.