June 27, 2002	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 15, 1423

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BAHAWALPUR, June 26: The ordinance making graduation mandatory for the candidates for the national and provincial legislatures has forced political parties to review the lists of their prospective candidates for the October general elections.

Some of them, including the PPP, had almost finalized lists of candidates for five national and 10 Punjab assembly seats in the district. But most of them lack the required educational qualification set by the government.

The PPP high command has recast the party list. Of its five nominees for the National Assembly, only two, Zaka Ashraf Chaudhry, former adviser to Sindh chief minister, and Sami Gilani, are eligible to contest the elections. The other three who failed to fulfil the condition, are: Sajjad Bokhari, a former MPA from Hasilpur, new entrant Khalid Warren (from Khanqah Sharif), and Chaudhry Safdar Husain, former MPA, nominated from Yazman.

As regards aspirants for the Punjab Assembly seats, Tatheerul Hasan and Aamir Warren lack required qualification.

The PML(N) is also perplexed over the situation. The local party organization held a marathon meeting on Tuesday with women wing president Begum Ishrat Ashraf (who is the sister of PPP’s Zaka Ashraf) in the chair and failed to finalize a list of candidates.

When contacted, the leadership failed to give a list of the candidates. However, party sources said they would make the decision public soon.

Dawn learnt on Wednesday that the meeting noted with concern that it had a few graduates in its rank. And those who fulfil the criterion, were reluctant to contest the elections in the present circumstances when the government was against the party.

The PML(QA) has also suffered a setback as except former minister Syed Tasnim Nawaz Gardezi, media committee chairman Syed Tabish Alwari and district president Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal, all the remaining candidates are ineligible to contest the elections.

As Chaudhry Shujaat Husain and Chaudhry Pervez Elahi are out of the country, their supporters are anxiously waiting for their return as the candidates’ list, which was finalized a couple of weeks ago, will be reviewed. But, in all probability, the PML(QA) could not get required number of graduate candidates from Bahawalpur.

The Millat Party, the Tehrik-i-Insaaf and the Pakistan Awami Tehrik seemed to be in no hurry as they have not yet started naming candidates. However, they will also face the same problem whenever they launch the process.

However, it is certain that former minister and MNA (PPP) Mian Riaz Husain Peerzada will be the Millat Party candidate from his ancestral NA seat of Khairpur Tamewali tehsil.

Mian Riaz will face his old rival, former minister Syed Tasnim Nawaz Gardezi, who will be a PML(QA) candidate.

Some of the aspirants have pinned their hopes on the Supreme Court of Pakistan as the ARD has decided to file an appeal against the ordinance.

The Jamaat-i-Islami has, however, nominated its candidates for both the legislatures.