MULTAN: Javed Hashmi submitted his nomination papers on Monday for NA-155 (previously NA-149) and NA-158 (NA-152).

Mr Hashmi as a Pakistan Tehreek-i-insaf (PTI) candidate won NA-155 in the 2013 election against PML-N’s Sheikh Tariq Rasheed and PPP’s Malik Amir Dogar. In a by-election in 2014, when he resigned from the seat, he, as an independent candidate, lost miserably to PTI’s Dogar, though he had the full backing of then ruling PML-N.

The seat has a swing history. In 2008, the seat was won by PML-N’s Rasheed and in 2002 by PPP’s Liaqat Dogar.

In NA-158, Mr Hashmi will face former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. This old NA-152 constituency was earlier won by PML-N’s Javed Ali Shah against PTI’s Ibrahim Khan and PPP’s Ahmed Mujtaba Gilani. In 2008, Liaqat Ali Khan as a PPP man won the seat.

Mr Hashmi told reporters after submitting his nomination papers that he had submitted the papers on the direction of the PML-N leadership. He said he used to contest elections for this constituency and never lost in the last three decades.

The development complicated the situation for PML-N’s Mr Rasheed and Malik Asif Rafique Rajwana, son of Governor Malik Rafique Rajwana, also wants to contest elections for NA-155, while Javed Shah, the last time winner of the seat, has refused to withdraw in favour of Mr Hashmi. Three former PML-N MPAs -- Rana Ijaz Noon, Rai Mansab Ali and Rana Tahir Shabir -- convinced Mr Hashmi to contest for the constituency due to their differences with Mr Shah.

PML-N circles said PML-N leaders were confused over the situation as Governor Rajwana was insisting for the ticket for his son. They said the party, however, did not want to lose Mr Shah as well.

They said the party wanted to field Mr Hashmi for NA-156 but he informed the party that he would contest elections for NA-155 and NA-158 only or he would not contest elections.

The PTI has preferred Amir Dogar over Khalid Khakwani and now Mr Khakwani is hoping for the party ticket for PP-116; however PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi has announced contesting elections for PP-116 and PP-117.

The PPP has failed to find any suitable candidate for NA-155, and according to the PPP circles, Mr Khakwani could be the PPP candidate if he did not get PTI ticket for the provincial assembly as well.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2018