CHAKWAL: Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) has not only succeeded in winning support of Ahl-i-Sunnat Waljamat (ASWJ) in NA-60 Chakwal but also got an assurance from another dominant religious outfit.

A couple of days back, the leaders of ASWJ had declared their conditional support to the PML-N at a gathering in Talagang (NA-61).

On Saturday evening, the chief of Tehreek Khudam Ahl-i-Sunnat Waljamat also announced to support the PML-N in Chakwal.

Qazi Zahoorul Hussain, the chief of the organisation, pledged a conditional support to the PML-N while speaking at a gathering at its headquarters, which is known as Madni Masjid.

The ceremony was attended by local leaders of the PML-N while party stalwart Raja Zafarul Haq addressed the audience on the phone.

“We are going to support the PML-N in Chakwal district but in lieu of this we expect that the PML-N would not take any such step which could empower secular people in the country,” Zahoorul Hussain said.

“If the leadership of the PML-N dared to take any such step we would not forgive it,” he warned.

The same condition has been set by the ASWJ.

“We fully endorse the condition set by Qazi Zahoorul Hussain,” Qari Nadeem Yaqoob Farooqi, the chief of ASWJ in Chakwal, told Dawn on Sunday.

“We have decided to support the PML-N in NA-60 also and the decision would be formally announced within a couple of days,” he added.

Raja Zafarul Haq while addressing the gathering thanked Qazi Zahoorul Hussain and assured him that his party would never hurt him.

After this, Zahoorul Hussain urged his disciples to work hard for the PML-N.

The local leaders of the PML-N, including Lt-Gen (retired) Abdul Majeed Malik, whose nephew Maj (retired) Tahir Iqbal is the PML-N candidate for NA-60, Chaudhry Liaquat Ali Khan, a candidate for PP 20, former MNA Sardar Mumtaz Khan Tamman, a candidate for NA-61, Sardar Zulfiqar Dullah (PP-22) and others thanked Zahoorul Hussain for his support.

The candidates of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) on the occasion also declared support to the PML-N after withdrawing from the elections.

Both candidates of the party - Hafiz Abdul Qadeer (NA-60) and Hafiz Abdul Ghafar (PP-20) - pledged that they would not only support the PML-N but would also campaign for it.

It may be mentioned that Tehreek Khudam Ahl-i-Sunnat Waljamat and ASWJ had warned the PML-N of their strong opposition if it awarded ticket to former MNA Ayaz Amir.

Both religious parties enjoy about 30,000 votes in both constituencies.

When asked why the PML-N decided to get the support of a banned outfit, PML-N candidate Maj (retired) Tahir Iqbal said: “I think ASWJ is not a banned organisation.”

In another development, the local chapter of Sunni Itihad Council announced its support to Pakistan People’s Party in Chakwal.