Machinery for roadwork parked near Chauburji. PHOTO: ABID NAWAZ/EXPRESS
PML-N’s candidates Chaudhry Mumtaz Sarwar (chairman) and Chaudhry Shehbaz Ali (vice-chairman) are also related by marriage. Mumtaz Sarwar is a brother-in-law of Shehbaz Ali. One of Mumtaz Sarwar’s brothers, Chaudhary Imdad, is a candidate for ward councillor on the PML-N ticket.
Mumtaz Sarwar’s father, Chaudhary Sarwar, has been a general councillor from the area. The family has been in film production business and has the popular Lollywood movie Choorian to its credit.
The UC is part of NA-122 and PP-148 and includes areas along Poonch Road, Islamia Park and Chauburji. The number of voters registered in the UC is around 22,000. In the recent by-poll in NA-122, PML-N’s Sardar Ayaz Sadiq had led PTI’s Aleem Khan in the area by a margin of 400 votes.
A PML-N office bearer says biraderi vote is a crucial factor in deciding elections in the area. He says some workers were opposed to the selection of chairman and vice chairman candidates from the same family. However, he said, it had to be done in view of the influence wielded by the family.
PTI’s nominee for chairman Chaudhary Tayyab Gujjar is a close associate of PML-N leader Mian Nauman, who is a former Provincial Assembly member.
Tayyab Gujjar’s brother Bilal Gujjar has been an active PML-N worker in the area. Tayyab Gujjar opted for a PTI ticket after his application for a ticket was declined by the PML-N, a party worker says. His running mate is Mushtaq Gujjar
Residents of a government employees’ colony in the UC mention poor management of traffic in main roads in the colony and lack of potable water as their major problems.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 29th, 2015.
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