Senate elections: PPP candidate seeks opposition’s support
PPP has nominated Nadeem Afzal Chan for a Senate seat from the Punjab
Chan endorsed the GHQs’ policy of providing residences to its forces, and suggested that the government follow the same model for bureaucrats. PHOTO: PID/FILE
LAHORE:
Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) candidate for Senate from the Punjab, Nadeem Afzal Chan, on Wednesday met several members of opposition parties.
A former member of the National Assembly, Afzal Chan was revealed as the PPP’s candidate from the Punjab on Monday.
On Wednesday, Chan made his way to the opposition chambers in the Punjab Assembly to enlist their support.
PPP MPAs Sardar Shahabuddin and Qazi Ahmad Saeed accompanied Chan.
Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Punjab Ameer Dr Syed Waseem Akhtar and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) MPAs Sardar Vickas Hassan Mokal, Aamir Sultan Cheema and Ahmad Shah Khagga were present there.
Later, talking to the media at the Punjab Assembly, Chan said that he would reach out to all opposition parties. “I will also ask for support from those Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz members who are upset with their party leadership,” he said.
Chan said he was thankful to his party for nominating him. “The government will be surprised when the results of the Senate elections are announced,” he said.
MPA Qazi Ahmad Saeed said that the party was confident of Chan’s success. “The PML-Q has indicated that they will support our candidate. The JI has said that they will decide the issue after consulting their party members,” he said.
Saeed said that the PPP had launched its campaign for Senate elections.
Talking to The Express Tribune, PML-Q MPA Cheema said that no decision had been taken regarding supporting Chan. “Our leadership will decide the issue and then inform us. So far, there has been no decision,” he said.
Cheema said the opposition parties were discussing their strategy during the House proceedings on Wednesday when Chan had arrived.
“The opposition parties’ meeting had not been called specifically to discuss Senate elections,” he said.
He said that the opposition had been weakened by the resignation of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) members.
PTI, the largest opposition party in the Punjab Assembly, has been absent from the House after they announced resignations in August, 2014.
The PTI holds 30 seats in the Punjab Assembly, the PPP and the PML-Q have eight seats each and the JI one.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 12th, 2015.
Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) candidate for Senate from the Punjab, Nadeem Afzal Chan, on Wednesday met several members of opposition parties.
A former member of the National Assembly, Afzal Chan was revealed as the PPP’s candidate from the Punjab on Monday.
On Wednesday, Chan made his way to the opposition chambers in the Punjab Assembly to enlist their support.
PPP MPAs Sardar Shahabuddin and Qazi Ahmad Saeed accompanied Chan.
Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Punjab Ameer Dr Syed Waseem Akhtar and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) MPAs Sardar Vickas Hassan Mokal, Aamir Sultan Cheema and Ahmad Shah Khagga were present there.
Later, talking to the media at the Punjab Assembly, Chan said that he would reach out to all opposition parties. “I will also ask for support from those Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz members who are upset with their party leadership,” he said.
Chan said he was thankful to his party for nominating him. “The government will be surprised when the results of the Senate elections are announced,” he said.
MPA Qazi Ahmad Saeed said that the party was confident of Chan’s success. “The PML-Q has indicated that they will support our candidate. The JI has said that they will decide the issue after consulting their party members,” he said.
Saeed said that the PPP had launched its campaign for Senate elections.
Talking to The Express Tribune, PML-Q MPA Cheema said that no decision had been taken regarding supporting Chan. “Our leadership will decide the issue and then inform us. So far, there has been no decision,” he said.
Cheema said the opposition parties were discussing their strategy during the House proceedings on Wednesday when Chan had arrived.
“The opposition parties’ meeting had not been called specifically to discuss Senate elections,” he said.
He said that the opposition had been weakened by the resignation of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) members.
PTI, the largest opposition party in the Punjab Assembly, has been absent from the House after they announced resignations in August, 2014.
The PTI holds 30 seats in the Punjab Assembly, the PPP and the PML-Q have eight seats each and the JI one.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 12th, 2015.