PML-N bigwigs to steer clear of by-polls race

Party likely to award tickets to relatives of people who vacated PA, NA seats

LAHORE:

In the lead-up to the upcoming by-elections in Punjab, there are no surprises on the horizon for the ruling party as its trusted hands step into the arena while the bigwigs, who lost their seats in the general elections, show little interest in running for seats vacated by senior leadership.

By-elections are scheduled to be held on twelve provincial assembly and two National Assembly seats in Punjab on April 21. These include eleven seats—nine provincial assembly and two NA seats—vacated by PML-N leaders or PML-N-backed candidates in order to retain their other seats.

In most instances, provincial assembly seats were relinquished to retain National Assembly seats with the exception of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, who retained her provincial assembly seat and relinquished her Lahore’s NA-119 seat.

The other National Assembly seat of the province—NA 132 Kasur—was relinquished by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who, in addition to this seat, also vacated his provincial assembly seats—PP-158 and PP- 164 in Lahore.

Other seats up for grabs include PP-149 Lahore (V), which was relinquished by PML-N-backed IPP President Abdul Aleem Khan; PP-147 Lahore (3) relinquished by Hamza Shehbaz; PP-139 Sheikhupura (V) vacated by Rana Tanveer Hussain; PP-32 Gujrat vacated by PML-N-backed PML-Q candidate Chaudary Salik Hussain; PP-22 Talagang vacated by Sardar Ghulam Abbas; PP-290 DG Khan relinquished by Sardar Awais Khan Leghari and and PP-54, vacated by Ahsan Iqbal.

At PP-266 Rahim Yar Khan, elections were delayed owing to the death of a candidate.

PP-93 Bhakkar (v) was vacated by PTI candidate Amir Inayat Shahani, while PP-36 Wazirabad was vacated by Muhammad Amad Chatha from PTI who instead retained his National Assembly seat NA-66.

With both governments in the Center and in Punjab standing on firm ground with a comfortable majority, the ruling party seems in no hurry to allot tickets. There are still ten more days available for allotment of party symbols and the party has ample time to announce these tickets.

According to several party leaders, including three serving ministers in Punjab, the PML-N might not have formally announced its tickets, but has already given assurances to certain aspirants.

It was revealed that Ali Pervez Malik, the son of the late PML-N leader Pervez Malik, will be contesting elections from NA-119, while Malik Rasheed, a relative of Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, is set to contest from NA-132.

Former MPA Akhtar Hussain and Nawaz Jutt are likely to run for PP-164 Lahore and PP-158 Lahore respectively. Both of them have reportedly met with Shehbaz Sharif, according to sources.

Ticker for PP-149 Lahore, which was vacated by IPP president and Federal Minister Aleem Khan, is likely to be given to IPP leader Muhammad Shoaib Saddique.

Rana Aftab, brother of Rana Tanveer, is expected to contest from PP-139 Sheikhupura, while ticket for PP-54 Narowal, vacated by Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal, is likely to be given to his son Ahmad Iqbal.
Meanwhile, the PP-32 Gujrat, which was vacated by federal minister and PML-Q leader Salik Hussain, will now go to his cousin Musa Elahi.

PML-N bigwigs who had lost elections on February 8 showed no interest in running for the seats vacated by their party colleagues. On the other hand, those said to be in the running include a number of relatives of those who had originally won the seats.

From PP-290 DG Khan, Ali Ahmad Khan Leghari, the nephew of Sardar Awais Khan Leghari, is assured of a ticket.

Earlier there were speculations that a ticket for PP-147, a seat vacated by Hamza Shehbaz, would be given to former MPA Malik Shehbaz. However, of late there is chatter that the party is rethinking its options.

The panel of leaders said to be in the running include Malik Riaz, Chaudhary Shehbaz and even former interior Minister Rana Sanaullah.

According to sources, bigwigs of the party such as Rana Sanaullah, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Javed Latif, and Khurram Dastagir had the opportunity to contest from two NA seats but showed no interest, as they did not want to be part of this compromised government.

A source insisted that even Rana Sanaullah had originally shown no interest in contesting by-elections.
Asked why his name was being floated for a PP-147, he said he had no first-hand knowledge of this development. Another source said the reason these bigwigs want to stay away from this set-up is that they believe former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has been cornered by the establishment.

He claimed Nawaz’s brother Shehbaz Sharif was part of this conspiracy to corner the PML-N supreme leader.