GUJRAT: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on Wednesday achieved a breakthrough in NA 62 (Sara-i-Alamgir- Kharian-Kotla) as the Marala group of former MNA Rehman Naseer and his brother Irfan Naseer, a former Kharian Naib Tehsil Nazim of the PML-Q, joined the PML-N.

The announcement was made at a meeting with former prime minister and PML-N president Mian Shahbaz Sharif in Lahore.

Those who joined the party along with Mr Naseer, include his uncle Dr Shaukat Marala, Chaudhary Saqib Basheer, a former chairman of the Kharian municipal committee.

Mr Sharif welcomed the new entrants into the party folds.

Talking to Dawn, Rehman Naseer confirmed his group’s joining the PML-N and said that he had unconditionally joined the party after consultation with members of family and political group in NA-62. He also announced to support ex MNA Abid Raza Kotla and other candidates of the PML-N in the region.

Mr Naseer was elected MNA on the ticket of Pakistan People’s Party in 2002 but soon after the elections he joined the PML-Q and then contested next three general elections (2008, 2012 bypoll and 2013) as a Q nominee but lost at the hands of PML-N nominees. He did not contest the 2018 polls due to a seat adjustment between the PTI and PML-Q.

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Responding to a question, he said he had ended his 22 years long affiliation with the Chaudhrys after former federal minister Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain launched his son Musa Elahi as a candidate from his constituency (NA-62) without considering his services and sacrifices for the party in the region.

Rehman Naseer Marala is a grandson of former PPP senator Chaudhry Rehamdad, the younger brother of former president of Pakistan Fazal Elahi Chaudhry.

Earlier, a female member of the Marala family, Tashfeen Safdar Marala, former PTI MNA on reserved seats, quit the PTI and joined the PML-Q a few days ago. It is learnt the PML-Q has nominated her for a reserved seat for women in Punjab Assembly in the Feb 8 elections.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2024