KARACHI: Though his main political rival has agreed to pull the door ajar and let Liaquat Ali Jatoi into the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party, another PPP MNA leads a pressure group to keep matters unsettled until the top leadership asserts itself for a final nod, it emerged on Friday.

The protracted political rivalry between Pir Mazharul Haq, a central PPP leader and former senior provincial minister, and Mr Jatoi, a former chief minister who is blamed for frequently switching loyalties, has almost become a legend in Dadu district.The speculation about Mr Jatoi`s joining the PPP began to gain credence after Mr Haq met former president Asif Ali Zardari on Friday and issued a statement afterwards, saying he had discussed the issue of Mr Jatoi`s joining the PPP with the co-chairman and assured him that he would have no objection to it.`I told the co-chairman that we look eye to eye over the inclusion of Liaquat Jatoi in our fold in the best interest of the party, although I am still personally hurt,` said Mr Haq.

He said apart from Mr Jatoi many other influential personalities of the district were `ready` to join the party.

Dawn repeatedly called Mr Jatoi on his cellphone but he was not available.

However, sources close to him said he had `fruitful` negotiations with Mr Zardari and other party leaders but it was still not clear when would he make a formal announcement.

`We are expecting a public meeting in Dadu in which the announcement [of Mr Jatoi`s inclusion] will be made, but don`t know yet when it will be scheduled,` said a source.

Mr Jatoi, who joined the PML-N in 2012 after a decade of alienation during Pervez Musharraf`s regime, is said to be annoyed with the leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz for ignoring him consistently.

His differences with the PML-N fur-ther soured lately when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited Hyderabad but did not send him an invitation to join him. According to sources, his calls to the PM were not answered as well.

`The PML-N`s attitude towards its Sindh cadres has not changed: it is as rude as ever,` said a disgruntled leader close to Mr Jatoi.

His induction, however, is not being accepted with open heart by the PPP MNA Imran Zafar Leghari, who, party leaders said, had warned that Mr Jatoi`s entry in the party would be detrimental to the PPP in the long run.

Imran`s father, a longstanding PPP leader, too was initially reluctant to embrace Mr Jatoi, but now, like Mr Haq, he no longer opposes him.

The PML-N has all but lost Mumtaz Bhutto who is said to be reviving his dormant Sindh National Front. Besides, the sources said, PPP was on the hunt for several other PML-N stalwarts who, according to PPP claims, showed little hesitation in switching loyalties.