Battle for the PMLN Ticket intensified in District Sahiwal

Arshad Farooq Butt

The decision of candidates for National Assembly Constituencies NA 141, NA 142 and Provincial Assembly Constituency PP 204 in Sahiwal district has become a bone of neck for Muslim League-N.

The situation has worsened due to the seat adjustment with the Istehkam e Pakistan Party (IPP) and the entry of some new candidates into the fray.

NA 141 Sahiwal

According to a Dawn News report, the ticket of Pir Imran Shah, who has won three consecutive terms from NA-141 of Sahiwal’s National Assembly constituency, has been withheld by the top leadership of the PML-N as Istehkam e Pakistan Party wants Chaudhary Nouraiz Shakoor Khan to contest election from this constituency.

Muslim League (N) Ulema Mashaikh Wing President Pir Imran Shah won from this constituency in 2008, 2013 and 2018 general elections on PMLN ticket.

On the other hand, Chaudhary Nouraiz Shakoor Khan won in 2002 on the ticket of Pakistan People’s Party. After winning the 2002 election, he supported General Musharraf along with Faisal Saleh Hayat and Rao Sikandar. Later, he was given the post of Federal Minister for Science and Technology by the former dictator.

Chaudhary Nouraiz Shakoor Khan was a member of the Central Executive Committee of PPP during Benazir Bhutto’s regime. Benazir expelled him from the party saying that he had stabbed the party in the back.

Later, he joined Muslim League (Q) and later PTI. In 2013, PTI gave ticket to his son Ali Noraiz Shakoor who lost to Pir Imran Shah. After that PTI gave ticket to Chaudhary Nouraiz Shakoor Khan in 2018 but he too lost to Pir Imran Shah.

Now Chaudhary Nouraiz Shakoor Khan has again shifted his loyalties to IPP and is one of the main candidates of Jahangir Tareen’s core committee which is negotiating with PML-N for seat adjustment.

It is being said that PML-N has not given ticket to Pir Imran Shah and is waiting for the final outcome of the deal with IPP. It is a tough situation for a strong candidate like Pir Imran Shah who is waiting for a party ticket despite his achievements and vote bank. Party disloyalty can worsen the situation.

NA 142 Sahiwal

Two-time winner of PML-N from NA-142, Chaudhry Mohammad Ashraf is facing difficulties in getting PML-N ticket due to Lodhi family of Harappa city and Chaudhry Zahid Iqbal of Chichawatani.

Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf has been elected MNA four times on the ticket of Muslim League-N. In 1990, the party gave late Arshad Khan Lodhi an MNA ticket from this constituency in place of Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf and late Arshad Khan Lodhi lost this seat.

PML-N did the second experiment in the 2008 election. Once again the ticket was taken away from Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf and given to Pir Ehsan ul Haq Idris.

Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf participated in the election as an independent candidate. He could not win, but PML-N candidate Pir Ehsan-ul-Haq Idris also lost. Thus, the experiment of PML-N failed for the second time as well.

On the other hand, Naveed Khan Lodhi’s wife Ayesha Lodhi is also a candidate from Harappa on the same ticket. Former MNA Chaudhry Zahid Iqbal has also submitted nomination papers from this constituency.

NA 143 Chichawatani, District Sahiwal

NA 143 is traditionally the constituency of the Rai Brothers of Chichawatani. Roy Hasan Nawaz won this seat from this constituency in 2013 and Roy Murtaza Iqbal in 2018. The Rai brothers still stand by Imran Khan and are keen to contest the election on a PTI ticket.

On the other hand, PML-N has no option but to give ticket to Chaudhry Tufail Jutt of Chichawatani from NA-143. Chaudhry Muhammad Tufail Jutt and his two brothers created history by winning MNA and MPA seats simultaneously from this constituency.

PP-204 Chichawatani, District Sahiwal

Under the seat adjustment, the Muslim League is withdrawing tickets from PP 204. Malik Nauman Langriyal won the 2018 election on a PTI ticket from this constituency and defeated PML-N candidate Shahid Muneer.

On the other hand, former MNA Chaudhry Munir Azhar’s son Shahid Munir is also determined to contest the election this time.

Conclusion:

Sahiwal district has been a stronghold of PML-N and now this stronghold is threatened by seat adjustment with IPP because Istehkam e Pakistan Party is demanding two seats from Sahiwal district.