GUJRAT: In a move that has surprised the local cadre of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the party leadership has replaced its previously winning candidates from at least two Punjab Assembly constituencies of Wazirabad, fielding new hopefuls.

The former PML-N MPAs — Talat Shaukat Cheema from PP-35 (Wazirabad-Gakhar cities) and Adil Bakhsh Chatha from PP-36 (Ahmed Nagar-Alipur) — have not been awarded the PML-N tickets for Feb 8 polls.

Waqar Cheema, a retired official of customs and father of Rawalpindi’s Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema, has been awarded the party ticket for PP-35, which is a surprise for the local party workers.

This seat was won by late Shaukat Manzoor Cheema for the PML-N for at least three times –2008, 2013 and 2018 – whereas his wife Talat Shaukat Cheema had won from the constituency in a by-poll held in 2021 after it was vacated due to the death of her husband.

Similarly, ex-MPA Adil Bakhsh Chattha who had won last general elections of 2018 from PP-36 as a PML-N nominee, has been ignored by the party leadership and the ticket is awarded to Adnan Afzal Chattha, a former union council chairman.

In 2018, the PML N had ignored its two-time MPA Akmal Saif Chattha from PP-36 and had pitched Adil Chattha.

However, in NA-66 (Wazirabad-Gakhar-Alipur) the party has again nominated ex-MNA Dr Nisar Ahmed Cheema as its candidate. He had won from the constituency in 2018, whereas his elder brother retired Justice Iftikhar Ahmed Cheema had won the seat for at least three times.

On the other hand, the PTI has fielded its former ticket holder Muhammad Ahmed Chatha, son of veteran politician and former speaker of the National Assembly, Hamid Nasir Chatha, as its candidate from NA-66 and PP-36. Elder son of Hamid Chattha, Fayaz Chattha, who is a former nazim of Gujranwala district, and Ain Ahmed Chatha the wife of Ahmed Chattha, are also candidates from both these seats. Sources say that the Hamid Chattha group and the party infact want to field Ahmed Chattha on both seats, but some technical issues may force them to change the aspirant.A former PTI ticket holder from PP 35 Mehr Muhmmad Yousaf is again in the run from that seat.

It is learnt that around 49 candidates are in the run for PP-35 and at least 20 of them belong to the PTI.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has fielded its ex-MPA and Gujranwala district president Ijaz Ahmed Samman from NA-66 and PP-35, whereas Tahir Iqbal Cheema is the party candidate from PP-36. Samman was elected as an MPA from Wazirabad city on a PPP ticket in 2002 and had also contested for the NA seat in 1990 from the party platform, besides contesting 2008 and 2018 polls.

Jamaat-i-Islami’s Nasir Kalair and Mushtaq Ahmed Butt are in the race for NA-66 and PP-36, respectively.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2024