GUJRANWALA, Oct 2: There are 177 contenders in the race for seven national and 14 provincial assembly seats in the Gujranwala district. Of them, 46 are contesting for NA seats and 131 for PA seats.

There are various biradaris in the district — Kashmiri, Arain, Ansari, Shaikh and Kamboh in the city, while Jat Cheema, Rana Rajput, Arain, Chattha and Virk in rural and remote areas. The city area is considered as a stronghold of the PML-N and rural areas of the PML-C and the PPP.

In NA-95, the PML-N has allotted ticket to four time former MPA Barrister Usman Ibrahim of the Ansari biradari. The PML-QA has fielded Imranullah Chaudhry, the son of PPP’s former minister Haji Amanullah and the brother of city tehsil Naib Nazim Ehsanullah. PPP’s candidate is Imranullah Chaudhry advocate, a close relative of PPP’s city president Khalid Humayun.

PAT’s Chaudhry Khalid Zafar and MMA’s Maulana Ayub Safdar are also in the run. But a close fight is expected among PPP, PML-QA and PML-N candidates. As both Imranullah Chaudhry and Imranullah are Arain, the votes division will benefit PML-N candidate Usman Ibrahim.

NA-95 covers two PA seats — PP-91 and 92. Imran Khalid Butt (PML-N), Shaikh Muhammad Akbar (PML-QA), Muhammad Ashraf Kamboh (PPP), Qadiruddin (PTI), Mian Attaullah (MMA) and Khawaja Ghaur Tariq Naik (Ind) are in the run for PP-91. While Dr Muhammad Ashraf Chohan (PML-QA), Sarfraz Mughal (PML-N), Lala Shakeelur Rahman (PPP), Mian Farooq Asim (MMA) and Muhammad Shafiq Mughal (PTI) are contesting for PP-92.

NA-96 is a very important seat of the city where PML-N has fielded Khurram Dastagir Khan, the son of former minister Ghulam Dastagir Khan. The PPP has allotted ticket to Khawaja Muhammad Saleh despite opposition by PPP’s city organization led by Chaudhry Khalid Humayun. He is backed by PPP’s ex-secretary-general and former minister Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar. The PML-QA has brought forward Robina Saleem Mehr, the wife of ex-MPA Mehr Mohammed Saleem, while the MMA has nominated Maulana Qazi Hamidullah. PTI’s Muhammad Nazir and some independents are also in the field.

PML-N and PPP candidates are relatives and belong to Kashmiri biradari. A tough fight is expected among PML-N, PPP and MMA aspirants.

NA-96 also covers two PA seats — PP-93 and 94. Raza Hameed (PML-N), the son of ex-MPA S.A. Hameed, Naveed Iqbal (PML-QA), Mian Farooq Alam Ansari (PPP), Maulana Ghulam Farid Rizvi (MMA), Anjum Butt (PTI) and six independents are in the run for PP-93.

For PP-94, seven candidates, including Zahid Pervaiz (PPP), Saeed Mughal (PML-N), Nadeem Shaikh (PML-QA) and Maulana Idrees Ayub (MMA), are in the field.

The NA-97 comprises urban and rural areas where an ex-MNA and Punjab Bar Council member Mahmood Bashir Virk is contesting from the PML-N platform. The PML-QA has fielded ex-MPA Shahid Akram Bhinder, PPP Dr Muhammad Zafar, MMA Syed Shabbir Husain, PTI Adil Saleem Khan and PAT Ashfaq Butter.

In PP-95, Mian Saeedul Hasan Dar (PPP), Iqbal Mahmood Dhariwal (PML-QA), Nadeem Anwar Cheema (PML-N), Naveedul Hasan (MMA), Ms Kokab Bukhari (MP) and Nadeem Qadir (PTI) are contesting.

Similarly, Mian Maqsood (PML-N), Ashraf Butt (PML-QA), Muhammad Shabbir (PPP), Ehsanullah (PML-C) and Rana M. Arshad (MMA) are vying for PP-96.

In NA-98, which comprises populated towns of Ghakkhar and Qila Dedar Singh and adjacent areas of Saddar and Wazirabad tehsils, the PML-QA has allotted ticket to former minister Azam Cheema, the PPP to Imtiaz Safdar Warraich, the PML-N to Sardar Ziaul Haq, the brother of Saddar tehsil council Naib Nazim Sardar Inamul Haq, the PML-C to Muhammad Ashraf Warraich and the MMA to Maulana Bilal Qudrat Butt. PML-QA, PML-N, PML-C and PPP candidates are Jat.

NA-99 comprises Kamoki tehsil where PML-QA’s Rana Umer Nazir, the son of ex-MNA Rana Nazir, PPP’s ex-MNA Chaudhry Abdullah Virk, PML-N’s Amir Sohail Mughal and MMA’s Allama Ashraf Jalali are in the run. However, a close contest is expected between PML-QA and PPP candidates.

In NA-100, the PML-QA has allotted ticket to Bilal Ijaz, the son of ex-MNA Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmad, the PTI to Pervaiz Ahmad Gujjar, the MMA to Ehsanullah and the PML-C to Hamid Nasir Chattha. The PPP and the PML-N have not fielded their candidates.

For NA-101, the PPP has fielded Asma Shah Nawaz Cheema, the daughter of ex-MPA Shah Nawaz Cheema, against PML-C’s Hamid Nasir Chattha. While the PML-QA has made a seat adjustment with Hamid Nasir Chattha. The PML-N has not fielded its candidate while ex-MPA Chaudhry Shaukat Hayat Chattha is contesting as an independent.

In PP-97, Chaudhry Nasir Cheema (PML-QA), the brother of ex-MPA Azam Cheema, Chaudhry Fazal Abbas Cheema (PPP), Mian Mazhar Javed (PML-C), Mian Asif Aqeel (PML-N) and Shumaila Liaquat (Ind) are in the run. PML-QA and PPP candidates belong to the same biradari, PML-C’s Mazhar Javed is Gujjar and PML-N’s Mian Asif is Arain.

PP-98 is very important constituency where former minister Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal Gujjar (PML-QA), Arqam Khan (PPP), Lala Muhammad Siddique (PML-N), Rana Sohail Ahmad Khan (PML-C), Syed Tahir Ahmad Shah (MMA), Pervaiz Abid (Ind) and Sardar Riazul Haq (Ind) are in the field. However, the position of the PML-QA aspirant is strong.

In PP-99, Dr Sohail Zafar Cheema, the son of ex-MPA Zafarullah Cheema, is contesting from the PML-QA platform. Ahsan Nawaz Cheema (PML-N), Muhammad Sabir Cheema (PPP), Abdul Hameed Goraya (MMA) and Nasar Mahmood Sandhu (PML-J) are also in the race. Besides, there are 10 independents, including Zulfiqar Bhindar, the son of ex-MPA Yousaf Bhindar of the PPP.

For PP-100, ex-MPA Rana Shamshad Ahmad Khan (PML-QA), Rana Amir Afzal (PML-N), Muhammad Aslam (PPP), ex-MPA Syed Khalilur Rahman Chishti (PAT) and Prof Obaidur Rahman Madni (MMA) are contesting. Rana Umer Nazir Khan, son of ex-MNA Rana Nazir Ahmad Khan, Syed Muhammad Hamid Raza Bukhari and Muhammad Sohail are independents.

For PP-101, the PML-QA has fielded Chaudhry Amanat Ali Virk, PML-N Rao Muhammad Zahid Ali Khan, PPP Rana Safdar Raza Mubarik, and PML-C ex-MPA Chaudhry Khalid Pervez Virk. While Chaudhry Muhammad Gul Nawaz Goraya and Saifullah Mehr are independents.

PML-C’s Khalid Virk is involved in the murder case of UC Nazim Ataullah in Naushera Virkan tehsil and he is still in jail.

In PP-102, Rifaqat Hussain Gujjar (PML-QA), Chaudhry Ishtiaq Hussain Dhilon (PML-N), Allama Salahuddin Hanif (MMA), Dr Pervez Gujjar (PTI), Chaudhry Muhammad Arshad Aulakh (NA) and Qaiser Saleem Khan (Ind) are in the run. PML-QA’s Rifaqat Hussain and PTI’s are Gujjar and their votes could be divided.

The PP-103 is very important seat where PML-C chief Hamid Nasir Chattha is contesting against PML-QA’s ex-MPA Chaudhry Shaukat Hayat Chattha. While PML-N has fielded Ijaz Ahmad, PPP Irshad Ahmad Cheema, MMA Dr Muhammad Obaidullah Gohar, PTI Rao Allah Rakha Shahzad, NA Chaudhry Muhammad Akhtarul Islam Hinjra, PAT Abdul Rashid and AQP Col Shahid Haroon Agha (retired). Sarfraz Khan Chattha and Adnan Sarwar Cheema, son of former defence minister Col Ghulam Sarwar Cheema (retired) are independents. However, a close contest is on hand between the PML-QA and PML-C aspirants.

The PP-104 also comprises Wazirabad tehsil where PML-QA has allotted ticket to Chaudhry Ashfaq Ahmad Tarar, PML-N to Chaudhry Mustanser Ali Gondal, PPP to Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmad Saman, PML-C to Raja Navidullah Khan, AQP to Mian Sajid Mahmood and MMA to Asad Ali. Malik Umer Hayat Baloch, Israrul Haq Cheema, Chaudhry Muhammad Azam Akber, Adnan Sarwar Cheema, Muhammad Akram Kalyar and Nadim Ahmad are independents.

All provincial assembly seats comprise rural areas where biradarism will play an important role.