September 4, 2002	Wednesday	Jamadi-us-Saani25,1423

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FAISALABAD, Sept 3: The PML-QA and the PML-N have reportedly failed to issue final lists of candidates for major national assembly seats of the district despite the completion of scrutiny of nomination papers.

However, the People’s Party Parliamentarians and the Mutahidda Majlis-i-Amal have finalized their candidates for almost all the constituencies and asked them to launch electioneering.

The PML-QA is still searching for a suitable candidate for NA-75, as four heavyweights have been struggling to get party ticket. Dr Muhammad Iqbal Wahla, a close relative of chief secretary Hafeez Akhtar Randhawa, and former district Naib Nazim Muhammad Afzal Sahi are the main runners, while Ghulam Rasool Sahi, the brother of Afzal Sahi, and Asim Nazir, the brother of district Nazim Zahid Nazir, have also filed nomination papers for this seat.

For NA-80, ex-MNA Sardar Dildar Ahmad Cheema and Sadiq Naseem are in the race to get PML-QA ticket. But party sources say Mr Cheema is favourite for this purpose.

The decision to allot ticket for NA-82 has also not been taken by the PML-QA leadership but both the applicants — Nasir Ali Shah and former senator Tariq Chaudhry — were seen claiming themselves as party nominees during their election campaign.

In NA-84, former senator Tariq Chaudhry started his campaign as PML-QA candidate despite the reports that ex-MPA Fazal Husain Rahi, a Millat Party nominee, is being backed by PML-QA central command. However, no formal decision has so far been taken for this seat.

For NA-85, only Maqsood Ahmad Riaz filed papers from the platform of PML-QA, but he has not yet been awarded party ticket. Former federal minister Mian Zahid Sarfraz, a nominee of the PML-J, claims having support of the PML-QA despite the fact that no adjustment has been finalized between the two factions.

The local PML-N leadership is still in search of suitable candidates especially for NA-79, NA-81, NA-82 and NA-84 to award party ticket.

For NA-79, the PML-N has been facing problems because nomination papers of ex-MNA Safdar Rahman had been rejected due to his alleged default. However, former minister Abdullah Ghazi is still in the run from the constituency. But no decision about allotment of party ticket has so far been taken.

Similarly, Jameel Ihsan Gill and Muhammad Shahbaz Kissana, both newcomers, are trying to get PML-N ticket for NA-81. There is a very awkward position for the PML-N as both the applicants are not in a position to contest against ex-MPA Chaudhry Talib Husain (PML-QA) and Dr Nisar Ahmad (PPP), the son-in-law of ex-MNA Chaudhry Ilyas Ahmad.

For NA-84, former provincial minister Sahibzada Fazal Karim and ex-MPA Rana Muhammad Afzal are trying to get PML-N ticket. Both the candidates had already started election campaign in this urban constituency from the PML-N platform. Rana Afzal has the support of a good number of union council Nazimeen and councillors.

The struggle to get PML-N ticket for NA-84 has become talk of the town as ex-MPA Rana Sanaullah Khan and Abid Sher Ali, the son of ex-MNA Sher Ali, are trying hard to have the party ticket. Sanaullah will be the first choice of the party.

On the other hand, the PPP has already finalized its list of candidates for 11 NA seats of the district. The MMA was the first who awarded tickets before the last date of filing papers.

Meanwhile, all the three major political parties — the PPP, the PML-QA and the PML-N — are still unable to award party tickets for 22 PA seats of the district.