CHAKWAL: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s recent visit to Chakwal left a worrying trail behind as he not only expressed his reservations over the results of the recently-held local government elections but also snubbed local members of parliament belonging to the ruling PML-N.

Mr Sharif landed in Chakwal on Saturday to inaugurate a private school built by Malik Mohammad Ashraf Nawabi, a leading businessman who lives in Dubai and is considered a family member of the Sharifs and the rulers of Dubai.

Mr Nawabi invited Sardar Ghulam Abbas, the archrival of local PML-N leaders, and provided him 40 invitation cards so that Mr Abbas could attend the ceremony along with his friends. On the other hand, Mr Nawabi did not bother to invite the nine members of provincial and national assemblies of the PML-N and a special adviser to the chief minister.

“When Mr Nawabi’s attention was drawn towards the matter by a senior official of the district administration, he said the MPs could attend the ceremony but he himself did not invite any of them except Senator Abdul Qayyum. The local MPs refused to attend the ceremony on the invitation of the official. 

When on November 20, the chief minister came to know that the lawmakers were not invited he himself directed them to attend the ceremony. “Yes, we were not invited by the host rather were directed by the chief minister to be present in the ceremony,” one of the MPs confirmed to Dawn.

MNA Tahir Iqbal, MNA Iffat Liaquat, MPA Sardar Zulifqar Ali Dullah, MPA Mehwish Sultana and special adviser to the chief minister Malik Saleem Iqbal occupied the chairs placed in front row. But an untoward situation occurred when Tahir Iqbal, Sardar Zulifqar Ali Dullah and Malik Saleem were forced to leave their chairs and sent to the second row by the host. Mr Nawabi told them that the chairs in the front row were reserved for his special guests. Mr Nawabi and Malik Saleem Iqbal also exchanged harsh words on the occasion.

The worse for the MPs came when during his speech the chief minister expressed his anger over the results of the LG elections. “What happened in Chakwal is in my notice and the prime minister is also aware of the situation. I know who did what,” he said in a harsh tone. The chief minister flew back to Lahore without even shaking hands with the lawmakers. His mood strengthened rumours that the top leadership of the PML-N was all set to take Sardar Ghulam Abbas into the party.

“We have been improperly treated by the host,” admitted one of the lawmakers. He said the host should not have behaved in such a negative manner as they had attended the function on the directive of the chief minister who was the chief guest.

Despite repeated attempts, Mr Nawabi could not be contacted for his comments.

The chief minister’s visit also raised eyebrows among many citizens who said how the chief minister could participate in a private ceremony on public expenditure. The district administration was kept on tenterhooks for a whole week. Encroachments along roads in Chakwal were removed in an attempt to show a cleaner view of the city. A cleanliness drive was also launched across the city as the officials feared that the chief minister could pay a snap visit to the District Headquarters Hospital or any stalled project. But Mr Sharif flew back to Lahore after ending his speech at the ceremony.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf district president Raja Yasir Humayun Sarfraz said the visit was for obliging a personal friend. “The chief minister should not have blamed his MPs for the poor results in the elections because it is he himself who spends all the funds in Lahore.”

He said the chief minister should have fulfilled his promises that he made on the eve of the 2013 elections with the people of Chakwal.

“The people of Chakwal were expecting that the chief minister would come to launch work on the establishment of a university that he promised during a public meeting days before the 2013 elections but he came to open a private school.”

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2015