By-Elections: PML-N to field disqualified members’ relatives
The party that suffered the most casualties following the Supreme Court’s disqualification of dual nationality lawmakers has decided to nominate relatives of the ousted legislators for by-elections to be held on their vacated seats.
Three of the five seats lost by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will be contested by relatives of the disqualified lawmakers.
PML-N made this decision during a party meeting presided over by its chief Nawaz Sharif on Thursday. The meeting discussed the progress of a two-member committee – which was formed to probe whether party members were in fact dual nationals or not. The committee, comprising Senator Ishaq Dar and Tariq Azeem, has so far dispatched an oath letter to all party lawmakers to submit their affidavits at the party headquarters regarding the status of their nationality.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has set November 17 as the date for the by-elections. Last week, the Supreme Court gave a ruling against law makers possessing dual nationality and consequently disqualified 11 sitting MNAs and MPAs of various political parties it discovered had dual nationality.
Out of the 11 lawmakers, five belong to the PML-N, four are from the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and two belong to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).
Possible candidates
According to sources, the PML-N has decided that party tickets will be given to those with the highest chances of winning – regardless of any other shortcomings. After the meeting, the party chief issued directives to the provincial office bearers of the party to submit detailed reports of their constituencies and candidates.
From NA 107 (Gujrat), disqualified MNA Jamil Ahmad’s elder brother Malik Hanif Awan has been recommended for contesting the by-election. From PP 26 (Jhelum) , disqualified MPA Nadeem Khadim’s father, Khadim Hussain, could be awarded a ticket. From PP-92 (Gujranwala-II), disqualified MPA Dr Muhammad Ashraf Chohan’s brother, Nawaz Chohan, would be awarded a ticket.
From PP-122 (Sialkot-II), where Muhammad Akhlaq has been disqualified, Shujat Pasha and Adrees Bajwa surfaced as the two possible contenders.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 28th, 2012.
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Family party and family Incorporated. This is running politics like business and private enterprise. Government is welfare organization not a money making factories and commercial units.