CHAKWAL: Internal rifts in the PML-N in Chakwal have deepened after MNA Sardar Mumtaz Tamman and MPA Sardar Zulifqar Ali Khan Dullah entered into an alliance with PML-Q for the local government setup in Talagang.

The alliance has sent alarm bells ringing for the PML-N as one of its influential leaders, Malik Saleem Iqbal, who is currently serving as a special adviser to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, and MPA Malik Zahoor Anwar Awan have termed it “an unnatural alliance.”

They said the alliance had also hurt the feelings of the party workers.

The unexpected alliance has also stunned citizens, which were expecting that the PML-Q would play an opposition role along with Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and the Sardar Ghulam Abbas group.

In the recently-held local government elections, the PML-Q led by Hafiz Ammar Yasir swept the polls of municipal committee Talagang by winning seven of the 12 seats. As many as five union council chairmen were also elected on the PML-Q tickets.

The PML-N in Talagang was divided into two groups. One group was led by MNA Sardar Mumtaz Tamman and MPA Sardar Zulifqar Ali Khan Dullah and the other by Malik Saleem Iqbal and MPA Malik Zahoor Anwar Awan. Due to the grouping, the PML-N was washed out in the election for the municipal committee while the party also suffered a defeat in UCs in the hands of independents led by former district nazim Sardar Ghulam Abbas.

After the election with the support of party’s stalwart retired Lt-Gen Abdul Majeed Malik, Sardar Mumtaz Tamman and Sardar Zulifqar Dullah tried to woo the sympathies of the PML-Q. Their efforts bore fruits when five UC chairmen of the PML-Q announced their support for Mumtaz Tamman and Zulifqar Dullah.

The five chairmen are: Malik Riaz Awan of UC Malakwal, Malik Asghar Fazili of UC Bhallomar, Malik Zamurad of UC Jabbi Shah Dilawar, Syed Mehmood Shah of UC Kot Qazi and Malik Asad of UC Kot Gullah.

“Abdul Majeed Malik contacted Chauhdry Shujaat who directed Hafiz Ammar Yasir to support Mumtaz Tamman,” a source told Dawn.

Mr Malik made the effort because Mumtaz Tamman had assured his full support to Mr Malik for the election of the district council chairman for which Malik Naeem Asghar, the nephew of Gen Malik and brother of MNA Tahir Iqbal, is the would-be candidate. Malik Aslam Sethi, the father of provincial minister Malik Tanvir Aslam, is also an aspirant for the slot.

On Wednesday, Saleem Iqbal addressed a press conference and termed the alliance of the PML-N and PML-Q ‘unnatural.’ He said MNA Mumtaz Tamman had hurt the feelings of the PML-N workers.

Talking to Dawn, Malik Saleem Iqbal said he was forced by the party workers to address the press conference, adding the workers were disturbed over the alliance.

When contacted, Mumtaz Tamman claimed that he had entered into the alliance with the PML-Q after getting consent from the top PML-N leadership.

PML-Q leader Hafiz Ammar Yasir could not be contacted.

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2015