GUJRAT: The Punjab government on Wednesday denotified 117 political assistants and assistants of the Punjab chief minister.

These appointments have been made by the government of outgoing Punjab chief minister Chaudhary Parvez Elahi on an honourary basis during the last five months.

The last such appointment was made on January 4.

Most of these political assistants were workers and influential supporters of the PML-Q and some from PTI belonging to various parts of Punjab.

However, a large number of these PAs belonged to Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Chakwal, Wazirabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot and Rawalpindi — considered strong support areas of the PML-Q.

Ex-MPAs Amir Nawaz Khan from Rahim Yar Khan, Amjad Mehmood Chaudhary from Rawalpindi, Arif Gondal from Mandi Bahauddin and Sameena Khawar Hayat were among these appointees whereas a number of former union council chairmen from Gujrat and Mandi Bahauddin were also part of these beneficiaries.

The PAs were allowed to hire security guards of approved security companies but at their own expense.

Dr Zain Ali Bhatti, a Gujranwala-based leader of PML-Q, was given an office in the Gujranwala district council as a political assistant of the CM however most of the remaining PAs could not get any such office.

According to a notification issued by the Service and General Administration Department dated January 25, these appointments are denotified forthwith.

Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2023