The return of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief and former prime minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and former Punjab chief minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif witnessed a thaw in political activity in the provincial capital.
Two days prior to the arrival of Mian Nawaz Sharif, a ‘loot sale’ of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) party tickets was witnessed at the new building of Muslim League House. For a day or two the place gave resemblance to an extravaganza but the arrival of the Sharifs and the way party tickets were distributed left the PML-Q House almost deserted. The provincial capital, Lahore, is widely considered as an area of strong support of the Nawaz League. The present situation has also left the PML-Q leaders in deep confusion. They are in a fix as regards to whom they should be awarding party tickets and whom they should not.
The PML-Q that was drafted out of the PML-N has failed to grow roots among the masses and strengthen itself as a major political party in spite of the eight-year long so-called rule and military government’s patronage. Most of the high-ranking Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) political leaders were completely helpless. This was one of the reasons that many women leaguers were given false promises of tickets for special seats reserved for women. When the Election Commission was sent a list for the reserved seats these women hopefuls were listed between 25-45 as according to the speculations of the ‘hidden forces’ there are chances of Q-league grabbing 20-25 of the reserved seats. It is due to the reason that according to former Punjab ministers Raja Muhammad Basharat, Arshad Khan Lodhi and Chaudhry Zaheeruddin when the list was prepared Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi’s son Chaudhry Monis Elahi picked that list and said that he will himself issue a list. When he issued the list it carried new faces on the top 20-25 slots. This led to frustration amongst the old female leaguers and they were seen shedding tears at the Muslim League House. These include Dr Nabeela Tariq, Lubna Tariq, Shahnaz Chaudhry, Azra Perveen and Rehana Jamil.
On this occasion when some of the women leaguers threatened to leave the party and join PML-N they were told that a detailed discussion would be held with Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi about the matter. The very next day Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi held a special meeting with the women workers and once again made some ‘promises’. Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said that the list sent to the Election Commission was prepared in a hurry it all happened due to lack of time. He told the women hopefuls that the final list would be sent to the Election Commission in the coming few days assuring that their names would be included in the top 20 candidates. With this the former Punjab chief minister also told the female hopefuls that they had talked to Gen (retired) Pervez Musharraf and he will soon be issuing an ordinance under which the women members could be changed on the basis of their performance at any time during the period of five years.
Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said that under the present circumstances he wished to see that who wanted to leave us and that is why a final list would be issued later. In spite of all this many of the PML-Q women leaders are making contacts in order to join the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). A process of PML-Q workers and leaders joining PML-N ranks came to a stop when Mian Nawaz Sharif announced to boycott polls from the forum of All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM).
Earlier the PML-Q and the PPP had finalized many candidates for the 13 National Assembly and 25 provincial assembly seats from Lahore. Former federal minister Humayun Akhtar is the sole candidate who has been issued tickets on two seats from Lahore NA-125 and NA-125 as he is expected to face PPP heavy weight Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan from NA-124. It is being said that even if Benazir Bhutto stands against Barrister Aitzaz she will lose miserably. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has also announced to support Aitzaz from the said constituency. Meanwhile defunct PML-Q leader Mian Ikhlaq Ahmed Guddu too has submitted his nomination papers as an independent candidate from the said constituency.
Another important constituency is NA-118. Former PML-Q president and ex-chief minister of Punjab Mian Muhammad Azhar is also contesting from this constituency. He will have to face Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidate Asif Hashmi from this constituency. Mian Muhammad Azhar, after he was stripped off the party presidentship, remained at odds with the party for quite a long time only to be persuaded by the Chaudhry brothers. That is the reason that he has agreed to contest polls from the PML-Q platform. But at the moment Mian Azhar’s position looks quite weak. On the other hand Pakistan People’s Party candidate Asif Hashmi too is not a popular political figure. In this constituency the PML-N candidate will prove his mettle.
In Lahore NA-130 is considered as the strongest constituency for Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) from where Asif Ali Zardari’s close friend Khalid Javed’s wife Samina Khalid is a candidate. Pakistan People’s Party has issued a ticket to a new comer Umer Iqbal in NA-126 as well who claims that his father continued to work on Pakistan’s atomic plant on the request of late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. After reservations were placed on Jehangir Badar’s son Zulfikar Ali Badar, ticket was also not issued to former MNA Ahmed Tariq Rahim. From NA-120 Mian Nawaz Sharif and from NA-119 Mian Shahbaz Sharif are the candidates. The most interesting constituency in Lahore is PP-152 where real contest will be seen between Chaudhry Monis Elahi and Hamza Shahbaz. Monis Elahi has used resources and authority lavishly in the area but he seems far from achieving any serious credibility. The government of Punjab is extending all possible help to Monis Elahi and is facilitating him.
If Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Benazir didn’t agree on polls boycott as per APDM announcement there will be more of a selection than election in the coming polls.
