Speculations prevail: Two contestants claim PML-N support for NA-48

Party does not issue any statement endorsing or denying the conflicting claims.

ISLAMABAD:

Suspense continues at NA-48 constituency as two people claim that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has awarded them the party ticket for the August 22 by-elections.

Former lawmaker Anjum Aqeel Khan and Advocate Ashraf Gujjar were both aspirants for the ticket.

However in a dramatic turn, Anjum Aqeel on Wednesday claimed that the party leadership had chosen him for the seat. “The party has awarded me the ticket and this [decision] has been conveyed to Ashraf Gujjar,” he told The Express Tribune.

He claimed that the decision was taken in a recent meeting of the party.  “Hamza Shahbaz could not attend the meeting but it was addressed by Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Senator Zafar Ali Shah,” he added.

On Monday, PML-N Secretary General Iqbal Zafar Jhagra had declared that Gujjar was the party’s ticketholder and directed the office-bearers and workers to fully participate in his election campaign.



PML-N workers in Islamabad have started holding corner meetings but they are confused over the party decision. “We will support any candidate nominated by the party but the state of confusion is affecting the campaign,” a party worker said on condition of anonymity.

A senior party official expressed doubts about Anjum Aqeel’s claim. “He has been claiming to be the PML-N’s ticketholder since the controversy started.” However, the party did not issue any statement endorsing or denying his claims.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 15^th, 2013.