BAHAWALPUR, March 19: The returning officer on Friday declared valid the nomination papers of all the 10 candidates for the NA-190 (Bahawalnagar-111) bypolls.

Appeals against the acceptance of the papers of any candidate could be filed within two days. The last date for withdrawals is March 26. Election symbols will also be allotted to the candidates the same day but before that they will have to furnish the ticket of their respective parties.

Mian Ihsan Bari is being nominated by the MMA while Shahid Iqbal is likely to get the PPP Parliamentarians ticket. Both Ms Shahida Sattar, the wife of late Abdul Sattar Laleka, and Tahir Bashir Cheema, a PPP deserter and younger brother of Bahawalpur district Nazim Tariq Bashir Cheema, are in the race for the PML-Q ticket.

Dawn learnt that the PML-Q high command is under immense pressure over the issue of awarding the ticket. The country's highest authority is reportedly favouring Ms Shahida Sattar. But the Chaudhris of Gujrat are reportedly supporting Tahir Cheema for the party ticket.

Sources said that quitting of the PPP by former MNA Zafar Warraich, district Nazim Tariq Bashir Cheema, two MNAs and seven tehsil Nazims was part of a deal with the Chaudhris.

They had been assured that the PML-Q ticket would be awarded to Tahir Cheema, who had already tendered his resignation as the Chishtian tehsil Nazim some two days ago.

Except for the late Abdul Sattar Laleka's stepbrother Mian Khalid Laleka, the whole Laleka family is supporting the candidature of Shahida Sattar. Khalid Laleka has fielded his own candidate Muhammad Ali Laleka.

Wana operation: Local PML-N leaders, including MNA Maimoona Hashmi, have condemned the Wana operation. At a ceremony here on Friday, Ms Hashmi lashed out at the generals who, she said, were ruling the country against the wishes of the common man.

She said that struggle for restoration of real democracy in the country would continue. She said it was the need of the hour that former prime ministers Mian Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto returned to the country to spearhead the movement.