Former National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq. PHOTO: ONLINE
LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has tasked former MPA Mian Muhammad Nauman with maintaining a close liaison with the residents of NA 122.
A party leader told The Express Tribune Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, who had won the October 11 by-polls with a margin of 2,400 votes, was likely to be re-selected National Assembly speaker.
“Sadiq might not be able to spare much time for the constituency. Nauman will ensure that problems faced by the residents are addressed,” said the PML-N leader who did not want to be named.
“PML-N Punjab president Shahbaz Sharif has chaired a couple of meetings to determine reasons for the party’s thin lead over the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf in the by-elections.
Party members from NA-122, PP-147 and PP-148 informed Sharif that Sadiq’s absence from the constituency was one of the reasons for the short lead,” he said.
He said the former National Assembly speaker had been unable to spend much time in the constituency over the past two and a half years. “The party has now decided to task Nauman with looking after the constituency’s affairs.
He won from PP-148 in the 2008 elections. He was not given the ticket in the 2013 general elections.”
The chief minster has approved development projects costing Rs170 million in NA-122, he said.
NA-122 will become more important for political parties in the 2018 general elections because of the number of new voters registered there. The October 11 by-election was held on the basis of old voter lists according to which there are 347,762 registered voters in the constituency.
According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, 162,501 new voters have been registered in NA-122 since then.
“The PML-N is also reorganising its Youth Wing in NA-122,” said Bilal Yasir, a PML-N member from the constituency.
Nauman told The Express Tribune, “The party will be focussing on development works and maintaining a close contact with voters in the constituency.
We will open party offices at union councils for the purpose. The party workers annoyed with us will also be contacted.”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 19th, 2015.
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