LAHORE: The Tehreek-i-Labaik Pakistan (TLP), led by fire-brand cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi, has been deliberately putting off its final announcement of candidates for National and Provincial Assemblies’ seats because it hopes to accommodate disgruntled politicians who were refused tickets by their parties to contest the upcoming July 25 election.According to TLP leaders, they have been approached by former Punjab government spokesperson Zaeem Qadri for a ticket, and are mulling over whether or not to accommodate him in their ranks.
Even though the party announced its 20-point election manifesto around two weeks ago, it is yet to announce a final list of candidates. It appears that the far right party is buying time, while keeping a close eye on how other political parties are awarding tickets to their leaders. According to sources, the TLP hopes to adjust those ticket aspirants who decided to quit their parties after being denied tickets. Most mainstream political parties have released the initial list of potential candidates but a final list is yet to be announced even though elections are less than a month away.
So far, the TLP has released the following names of its candidates who will contest the election on July 25: Maimona Khalid from NA-125, Ijaz Ashrafi (prayer leader of an Ichhra mosque) from NA-127, businessman Mian Faisal from NA-126, and Chaudhry Latif Sarra, lead counsel in the blasphemy case against Patras Masih, from NA-123.
A senior party leader of the TLP revealed that Zaeem Qadri wanted to contest from the TLP’s platform. Qadri, once the face of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz led government in the Punjab, had announced a parting of the ways after being refused a ticket to contest the polls from NA-133. The PML-N had awarded the ticket to Waheed Alam Khan instead, following which an angry Zaeem Qadri approached the TLP for help, he claimed.
The former Punjab government spokesperson was once a follower of Rizvi. “Even the Almighty doesn’t close the doors of forgiveness to anyone who has committed sins throughout his life,” said the senior TLP leader, while adding that their party’s doors were open for anyone who believed in their manifesto which centres on the ideology of Pakistan and safeguarding the sanctity of Holy Prophet.
Talking to Daily Times, central spokesperson of the TLP Sahibzada Pir Ijaz Ashrafi said that they were adding the final tweaks to their list of candidates and will release it soon. He added that a large number of ticket aspirants frustrated with their parent political parties had approached their party. “We told them to join our party first then we will give them tickets to contest the elections,” he said.
He confirmed that Qadri had been trying to get in touch with their leadership about a ticket.
“Yes, he has been trying to contact us for the last few days, but our leadership is busy because of the tough schedule and, therefore, we couldn’t give him time to meet us,” said Ashrafi, who is also a candidate from a National Assembly constituency from Lahore.
Ashrafi said the TLP would reveal its list of more than 500 candidates for National and Provincial Assemblies’ seats soon. He added that there were many former MNAs and MPAs on the list. “We have received a very positive response from people as over a dozen candidates applied to get our tickets from each constituency despite the fact that this is the first time that the TLP is taking part in the general elections,” he said.
Qadri was not available for comments as his secretary explained that he was busy attending a funeral.
Another right-of-centre party, the Milli Muslim League (MML), has also become the party of choice for many candidates who were denied tickets by their political parties.
Although, the MML has not been allowed to contest the election, the party has announced that it will participate in the upcoming polls under the banner of the Allah-o-Akbar Tehreek (AAT). So far, the AAT has fielded candidates on 80 NA and 185 Provincial Assembly seats across the country.
Talking to Daily Times, MML spokesperson Tabish Qayyum said a large number of independents and disgruntled ticket aspirants were contacting them as well. “Our parliamentary board will release its final list in a day or two,” he said, adding: “Our candidates include people from all walks of life, including a large number of women and non-Muslims,” he said, but cautioned that adherence to the ideology of Pakistan would be a pre-requisite for getting their ticket.
The entrance of the MML and the TLP in the general election is expected to present a great setback to the PML-N, considering that a large share of its vote bank is right-of-centre and these political parties represent the same vote bank. It is worth mentioning that the TLP and the MML proved their presence among the masses when they secured considerable votes during the by-election from old NA-120 last year, and stood third and fourth in the election, just behind the winner PML-N and runner-up PTI.
Published in Daily Times, June 29th 2018.