Daily Times

While the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has yet to announce a complete list of candidates for the National Assembly, the party suffered yet another setback on Saturday as seven of its ticket-holders in southern Punjab announced that they would contest as independents. Four of these seven candidates are from Rajanpur, two from Dera Ghazi Khan, and one from Muzafargah.

The leader of the Rajanpur group is Sher Ali Gorchani, former deputy speaker of the Punjab Assembly. Sher Ali Gorchani is a candidate for NA-193 and PP-293.

The other three are Pervez Gorchani, Sher Ali’s father who is a candidate from PP-295; Ather Gorchani (PP-294) and Yousuf Khan Dareshak (PP-296). These and the other three lawmakers were on Saturday alotted the ‘jeep’ symbol to contest the general elections as independent candidates. Former PML-N MPA Atif Mazari and his nephew Khizar Mazari will contest on the PML-N ticket from PP-297 and NA-195, respectively

In Muzafargarh, Sultan Mehmood Hanjra returned his PML-N ticket for NA-181 and announced his decision to contest as an independent candidate. He has also sought the jeep symbol. Hanjra will contest the election against former Punjab governor Ghulam Mustufa Khar, who is contesting on the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) ticket. Hanjra’s nephews – Ahmed Yar (PP-279) and Qasim (PP-268) – will contest on PML-N tickets.

In Dera Ghazi Khan, Shamoona Mir Badshah Qaisrani withdrew her PML-N ticket from PP-285. However, she would also contest the July 25 election form NA-189 against PTI’s Khawaja Sheraz on a PML-N ticket, since the deadline had ended by the time she approached the ECP with a request to be given a different symbol for the NA seat. Amjad Farooq Khosa returned his PML-N ticket from NA-190 on Saturday. He was awarded the ‘bucket’ symbol to contest as an independent against PTI’s Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa. The remaining two NA seats in the districts have strong PML-N candidates -PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif and Awais Leghari. Also on Saturday, disgruntled PML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar was allotted the symbol of ‘jeep’ to contest elections in four constituencies of Rawalpindi district – NA-59, NA-63, PP-10 and PP-12.

Published in Daily Times, July 1^st 2018.