PMLN torn between PTI dissidents,former ticket holders

By Ali Raza

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) de-seated members of the assembly have started efforts to get PMLN tickets while

the party’s former ticket holders are also trying to get tickets for the same constituencies of the provincial metropolis.

By-polls on 20 seats of the provincial assembly are scheduled to take place on

July 17, after 20 members of the PTI were de-seated. In the provincial metropolis,

four PTI members were de-seated, which included former senior provincial minister Abdul Aleem Khan, who according to

sources, will not contest by-polls and may nominate Shoaib Siddiqui from PP-158,

while Rana Ahsan Sharafat of the PMLN, who lost from the constituency, wants to

get a ticket again through senior PMLN leader Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.

Party sources said the PMLN had promised to award tickets to those who

have been de-seated in by-elections but now the party leadership is under immense pressure from its own local leadership and former party ticket holders. Sources said the PMLN may give a

ticket to Malik Asad Khokhar from PP- 168. This seat was left by Khwaja Saad

Rafique after being elected as a Member of the National Assembly. At that time

Malik Asad Khokhar of the PTI had won the by-election and defeated PMLN’s Rana

Khalid Qadri. Sources said the PMLN has decided to award a ticket to Asad

Khokhar but Rana Khalid was also an aspirant for the same seat and in case the

party gives the ticket to Asad Khokhar, Rana Khalid and his group may not support him.

From PP-167, PTI’s Nazir Chauhan was elected as MPA after defeating PMLN’s

Mian Saleem and now he also wanted to get a PMLN ticket for the constituency

while the former ticket holder, Mian Saleem, is also trying to get the party

ticket again. Malik Asad Khokhar of the PTI had defeated Rana Khalid Qadri of the PMLN in

the by-election after leaving the seat of PP-168 after being elected as a Member of

National Assembly by Khawaja Saad Rafique. Now only Asad Khokhar is here.

According to party sources, Rana Khalid Qadri is also in touch with the leadership

for a ticket In PP-170, Chaudhry Amin of the PTI had defeated Mian Imran Javed of the

PMLN. Chaudry Amin is the brother of Aoun Chaudhry who is the adviser to

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on youth affairs. On the other hand, PMLN’s former

candidate Mian Imran Javed is also not ready to leave the field and he has started

lobbying to get a party ticket. The scribe tried to contact PMLN’s official spokesperson Atta Tarar but he

didn’t respond. The scribe also tried to contact party’s senior leader Awais

Leghari and also left a message but he didn’t call back.