LAHORE: While accusing the PDM of using all its clout to get its ‘front man’ elected as Punjab’s caretaker chief minister, the PTI on Saturday announced it would fight tooth and nail if the appointment was not made on merit.

The PTI believes that PDM has “something else” in mind than holding the ele­c­tions within the constitutionally requi­red period of 90 days in the province.

“The PDM is running away from elections. It will try its best that elections are not held in 90 days. The nomination of the Sharifs’ and Zardari’s ‘front men’ for the post of caretaker chief minister is a PDM’s step in that direction,” PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry told Dawn on Saturday.

Endorsing Mr Chaudhry’s views, party Senator Barrister Ali Zafar said PTI would approach a court of law if the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) failed to appoint the CM on merit.

Party fears ECP will appoint Mohsin Naqvi for the slot, foresees a delay in Punjab polls

The nominees of the federal coalition are media house owner Mohsin Raza Naqvi and former bureaucrat Ahad Khan Cheema. SAPM Cheema is facing corruption cases. Mr Naqvi is said to be close to PPP leader Asif Zardari.

Outgoing CM Parvez Elahi and PTI chief Imran Khan nominated Cabinet Secretary Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera, ex-chief secretary Nasir Mahmood Khosa and former health minister Naseer Khan. Later, they dropped Mr Khosa’s and Mr Naseer’s names and included Naveed Akram Cheema, an ex-chief secretary. Mr Khosa also refused to join the race.

While referring to PDM’s names, Mr Chaudhry said, “We are not going to allow the appointment of any of the ‘two controversial’ nominees. If ECP picks one of them we will challenge this in court and take to the streets against such appointment.”

Following a meeting with Imran Khan, Mr Zafar while talking to reporters hoped the ECP would prudently scrutinise qualifications of all the nominees. He said PTI’s parliamentary committee had ‘objected’ to Mr Naqvi’s nomination.

The ECP has to decide the matter after Mr Elahi and Opposition Leader Hamza Shehbaz and a parliamentary committee of Punjab Assembly failed to build a consensus on a candidate.

Anticipating Mr Naqvi’s selection, another PTI leader Farrukh Habib said in a tweet: “The ECP will lose its credibility altogether if it picks him for the slot.”

On the other hand, the federal coalition led by the PML-N is keen to have its nominee as caretaker CM.

“The PML-N-led federal coalition has chosen two of its loyalists for the caretaker chief minister and it wants appointment of one of them by the ECP. And unlike the episode of Mr Elahi’s trust vote when the federal coalition failed, it wants its man as caretaker CM,” a party insider told Dawn.

Meanwhile, former NA speaker Asad Qaiser quoted Imran Khan as saying he will personally decide about the grant of party tickets for the next elections.

Mr Qaiser was talking to reporters after a meeting with Imran Khan. He said the meeting discussed the political situation post-KP and Punjab assemblies’ dissolution as well as the process to award party tickets.

The PTI chairman directed the party’s provincial organisations to short-list candidates for the award of party tickets while considering their merit, loyalty to the party and work in the field.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2023