General elections: ASWJ chief files nomination papers for NA-89

LAHORE:

The chief of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamat (ASWJ) Maulana Muhammad Ahmad Ludhianvi filed nomination papers on Saturday for two seats in the national and provincial assemblies from constituencies in Jhang.

Ludhianvi will be contesting from NA-89 and PA-78, both constituencies which are in the urban areas of Jhang city.

Up till now, no other candidate – apart from Ludhianvi – has filed nomination papers for this seat

In the 2008 general elections, Sheikh Waqas Akram, who contested NA-89 on the PML-Quaid’s ticket, emerged victorious after securing 51,733 votes, while Ludhianvi secured 44,894 votes as an independent candidate. PML-N’s Dr Abul Hassan Ansari secured 15,743 votes, while Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarian’s Sheikh Waqas Ahmad Advocate secured a dismal 9,363 votes from NA-89. Sheikh Waqas Akram recently joined the PML-N, a move that annoyed Ludhianvi as he faces the prospect of once again contesting against his main electoral rival.

In the 1988 elections, the ASWJ, then known as the Sipah-Sahaba Pakistan lost this seat when Begum Abida Hussain defeated the SSP founder Maulana Haq Nawaz Jhangvi.

The ASWJ chief reached the office of the returning officer and Additional Session Judge Mian Shahid Mehmood in a convoy comprising of 150 activists.

According to an intelligence report, activists, whose names have been placed in the 4th schedule of Anti Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997, because of their alleged involvement in incidents of terrorist and sectarian violence were also a part of Ludhianvi’s convoys.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2013.