December 13, 2007	Thursday	Zilhaj 2, 1428

ATTOCK, Dec 12: A naib nazim has parted ways with Muslim League-Nawaz and joined the Q League after he was refused ticket for a provincial assembly seat by his party.

Attock-III Union Council Naib Nazim Dr Sheikh Waseem Sadique announced his joining of the kings’ party at a meeting with District Nazim Maj (retired) Tahir Sadik Khan on Wednesday.

PML-Q leader Senator Sardar Mehmood Khan and Tehsil Nazim Qazi Khalid Mehmood were also present in the meeting.

Dr Sadique had filed his nomination papers for PP-15 Attock-1 but the ticket was awarded to Sheikh Suleman Sarwar, son of PML-N leader Sheikh Aftab Ahmed who is also a candidate for NA-57, Attock-I.

When contacted, Dr Saddique confirmed that he had joined the PML-Q as a protest, adding the PML-N leadership had always discouraged him on important political events.

Criticising the PML-N leadership, he said close relatives of influential party leaders were being awarded tickets without considering merit.

Although it is very unexpected for the local political circles and also for PML-N as Mr Saddique was very like-minded of Sheikh Aftab Ahmed besides belongs to same Sheikh family.

He said he had contested election from PML-N platform in 2002 on PP-15 seat, while Sheikh Suleman Sarwar was candidate for NA-57 Attock-I at that time. But the senior Sheikh supported his rival MMA candidate Syed Ejaz Bukhari on PP-15 instead of him violating the party discipline. As a result, he got defeated in the election.

When contacted, Sheikh Aftab Ahmed refuted the allegations of Dr Saddique that he had supported MMA candidate in 2002 polls and then PML-Q’s aspirant Qazi Khalid Mehmood for tehsil nazim slot in last local body elections.