Election ahead: Colonel (retd) Mubashir Javaid nominated for mayor’s slot

He was elected on reserved seat for technocrats

LAHORE: The name of Colonel (retd) Mubashir Javaid has been chosen for the office of Lahore’s mayor, elections for which will be held on December 22. The nomination has been made by the prime minister, The Express Tribune has learnt.

Earlier, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership had revealed Khawaja Ahmad Hassan, Rabia Farooqi (Hassan’s cousin), Colonel (retd) Tahir Kardar and Arif Hameed Butt were also contesting elections for the same slot. However, in the party’s Punjab chapter meeting held recently, some leaders expressed concerns over the names of Hassan, Kardar and Arif Hameed.

Nawaz, along with senior members of the party, interviewed prospective candidates but Javaid, who was elected on a reserved seat for technocrat, turned out to be the strongest candidate for the slot of mayor of Lahore.

A senior party leader, requesting anonymity told The Express Tribune Javaid established good terms with the party’s senior leadership in 1999 and formally joined PML-N after his retirement. He added that during the local government elections some party members voted against the wishes of the senior leadership.

Therefore, a committee was constituted in which Javaid was one of the members.

In the meanwhile, he got an opportunity to establish relations with MNA Hamza Shahbaz Sharif, who actually recommended his name for the slot of mayor.

Hassan, who was earlier considered a potential candidate of this slot, was turned down because he already had a lot of responsibilities.

Some leaders believe the party may consider Rabia Farooqi and Kardar for the slot of deputy mayor.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 8^th, 2016.