ABBOTTABAD: Leadership of the main opposition party, PML-N, has ironed out differences between two senior leaders from Abbottabad district, including former governor Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan and MNA Murtaza Javed Abbasi.

It also named candidates for the three tehsil chairman and Abbottabad mayor slots.

One of them is former MPA and Sardar Mehtab’s son Sardar Shamoon Yar Khan, who will run for Abbottabad city mayor.

The development comes on the intervention of party supremo Nawaz Sharif to benefit from the people’s sentiments against the ruling PTI over growing inflation to claim success in the upcoming phase of local body elections, claim insiders.

Party panel facilitated meetings between Mehtab and Murtaza

However, many in the party are still skeptical about the party’s performance in the coming electoral exercise due to the strong differences between Sardar Mehtab and Murtaza Javed in the past.

According to sources, a PML-N reconciliation committee comprising former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Khawaja Saad Rafiq and Ahsan Iqbal facilitated between the two leaders behind the curtains in Islamabad.

A jirga was held at the residence of MNA Murtaza Javed on Sunday evening, where it was agreed that the workers would work together for helping the party win most local body seats in the district. After the elections, the key positions will be filled with consensus among leaders.

MNA Murtaza said the party didn’t have any differences anymore and therefore, it had good chances of winning most local body seats in all four tehsils.

Sardar Shamon and former MPAs Sardar Fida, Ayub Afridi, Nadeem Mughal, Nabeel Tanoli were also present on the occasion.

Sources said Sardar Shamoon visited the party’s district secretariat and was assured by leaders of support in election.

PLANTATION: Commissioner of Hazara division Mutahir Zeb has said the administration will achieve the target of planting 28 million saplings in the division with the help of students and community members.

He was addressing a tree plantation campaign ceremony at the Shimla Hill Park here on Monday.

Regional police officer Mirvas Niaz, Abbottabad deputy commissioner Tariq Salam Marwat and schoolchildren attended the ceremony and planted saplings.

The commissioner said illegal felling of trees had harmed forests in the region but deforestation had been checked and green cover had been increased during the last five to six years.

Regional police officer Mirvas Niaz said a joint effort of the police and forest department had helped protect trees from illegal felling.

He said the continuous efforts were required to ensure that the natural beauty of Hazara is protected and increased for future generations.

Chief conservator (forest) Tehmas Khan said 8,000 saplings were planted during the the inaugural ceremony of Plant for Pakistan campaign.

He said the forest department was ready to plant 3.2 million saplings in the spring.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2022