The PML-N workers are very much happy with the new date of NA-108 by-elections as the contest will help party rival groups–one led by interior minister Rana Sanaullah and other by former state minister Abid Sher Ali–to give tough time to the former premier Imran Khan.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, chairman Imran Khan announced to contest from NA-108 along with other national assembly constituencies lying vacant due to en-bloc resignations of PTI members. In the past both groups had been giving tough times to each other and all efforts by the senior party leadership for their reconciliation remained useless.
However, this time none of the members of these groups are speaking even a single word against each other vowing they are united now to give tough time to Khan and get the seat back.
Sher Ali, a close relative of Mian Nawaz Sharif and father of Abid Sher Ali, had levelled allegations of serious nature against Rana Sanaullah and claimed he was involved in the killing of more than one dozen people in Faisalabad.
When Sher Ali levelled allegations Rana Sanaullah was serving as the Punjab law minister. Following allegations and arrest of a shooter identified as Naveed alias Commando, a police investigation had been initiated against Rana Sanaullah and then SSP (operations) Irfanullah Khan had conducted the inquiry which is still incomplete due to non-arrest of former SHO Farrukh Waheed who was allegedly involved in some extra judicial killings.
A police officer who was part of the inquiry wished not to be named and said the inquiry could not be concluded till investigation of Waheed.
Abid Sher Ali contested from NA-108 and from its allied constituency PP-113, Rana Sanaullah was the candidate, however, both lost the elections. Rana Sanaullah had also contested from NA-106, secured 106,137 votes and defeated the PTI candidate Dr Nisar Ahmed who clinched 103,899 votes.
The PTI candidate Farrukh Hahib (112,182 votes) had defeated Abid Sher Ali (110,907) by a thin margin in the last general elections. The result jolted the entire party and it’s workers as Ali family was very much popular due to its public friendly approach.
Mr Habib contested for the first time from this constituency. Similarly, in the PP-113 elections, a newcomer Mian Waris Ali clinched 610,94 votes and defeated Rana Sanaullah who bagged 560,79 votes.
Naseer Ahmed, a resident of Samanabad, said we are very much happy that both rival groups had shunned their differences and joined hands to strengthen the party. He said reconciliation of these two groups injected a new blood in the party and we would leave no stone unturned to defeat Imran Khan.
Ahmed pinned hope on leaders of these two groups that they would remain friends forever.
Salman, who claimed he had cast his vote in favour of the PTI last time, is not satisfied with the performance of Farrukh Habib, former MNA from NA-108. He said sewerage water in different areas of the constituency had made the life of people miserable as they had to cross the stagnant sewage water to shift dead bodies to graveyards.
We requested the MPA and MNA of the PTI time and again for solution of the issue but to no avail. Finally, as a protest, we had placed placards with the pictures of these parliamentarians above the gushing water, he added. Despite having differences with the party leaders, he said he would vote in favour of the PTI as he loves Imran Khan and his vision a lot.
Mian Tahir Jameel, a PMLN MPA from the allied constituency of NA-108, told Daily Times that Abid would win the by elections with heavy margin as he remained victorious from this constituency in the last three elections except.
The PTI MPA Mian Waris was contacted on phone, however, he did not attend his call.