NA-120 by-poll: Shehbaz’s name ‘still under study’

PML-N minister says Nawaz to finalise candidate on arrival in Lahore

LAHORE: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif will, on his return to Lahore, announce the name of the ruling party candidate who will vie for the National Assembly seat that fell vacant after his disqualification by the Supreme Court over concealment of assets.

The name of Shehbaz Sharif as a candidate for NA-120 Lahore was, and is, under consideration, but local party leaders want him to continue as Punjab chief minister, said the newly-elected federal minister Pervaiz Malik while talking to this correspondent.

Malik, who is also the PML-N Lahore president, said that a final decision as to who would contest from NA 120 would be made by Nawaz himself on his return to Lahore.



According to sources, Nawaz would be given a presentation by MNA Hamza Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday, regarding the strengths and weakness of the PML-N in the constituency. He would also suggest a few candidates for the September 17 by-election.

Hamza was holding back-to-back meetings to prepare for the presentation, said the sources.

It is learnt that the PML-N Punjab is putting forward the names of Khawaja Ahmad Hasan, former MPA Mian Nouman and former MPA Dr Asad Ashraf as candidate in NA-120. A few voices are even backing CM Shehbaz’s son Salman Shehbaz whereas Nawaz’s wife Kulsoom Nawaz is said to be the prime pick of the party’s Islamabad block.



However, sources don’t see the possibility of Kulsoom or any other Sharif contesting the election. Even Khawaja Ahmad Hasan, despite his knowledge of Punjab politics, is not being seen as a good candidate for the slot, and dubbed as “risky to gamble with”.

MNA Malik, meanwhile, said that Shehbaz had never feared a challenge and was known to be a fighter.

He claimed that Dr Yasmeen Rashid, the PTI candidate, would lose by a bigger margin than in 2013 election, as previously the PML-N had not conducted a serious campaign in the constituency.



“But it is a different ball game this time around,” he said, insisting that with an added factor of local bodies, the chances that the PTI could even reduce the margin of defeat were slim.

There are nine union councils in PP-140, where the PML-N bagged 27,475 votes and the PTI 17,872 votes. Of 12 UCs in PP-139, the PML-N obtained 35,593 votes and the PTI 19,642.

The PTI failed to win even one of the 21 UC seats falling under NA-120.

Both MPA seats of PP-140 and PP-139, under NA 120, were won by PML-N candidates Majid Zahoor and Bilal Yasin respectively, with a big margin.