September 30, 2002	Monday	Rajab 22, 1423

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HARIPUR, Sept 29: Rift among Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leaders could not be resolved, jeopardizing the party’s efforts to win all the seats in the district in the election.

Raja Sheeraz Haidar, Yusuf Ayub Khan, Sardar Mushtaq and Pir Sabir Shah are the PML-N candidates for PF-49, PF-50, PF-51 and PF-52, respectively. The latter is also contesting for the National Assembly seat NA-19.

The differences of the PML-N leaders with the party’s parliamentary board over the allotment of tickets are quite visible.

Sources said NWFP PML-N President Pir Sabir Shah’s objection to awarding tickets to Sardar Mushtaq and Raja Sheeraz was not entertained by the board.

Sabir Shah was annoyed over Sardar Mushtaq’s low profile after the military takeover, sources said. He was also critical the provincial assembly candidate’s joining former minister Gohar Ayub’s camp during the local government elections last year. Sardar Mushtaq had contested the election for district Naib Nazim from the panel of Omar Ayub, who was defeated by District Nazim Dr Raja Aamir Zaman.

Sardar Mushtaq was, according to party sources, issues a charge-sheet by the district PML-N president and his membership was suspended.

Sabir Shah had succeeded in mending fences with his rival, Akhtar  Nawaz Khan of Khalabat, and he lobbied for Nawaz Khans’ candidacy for PF-51, but he had to succumb to pressure from a former chief minister of the NWFP, Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan.

In PF-49, Sabir Shah, after failing to persuade Raja Sikandar Zaman to accept the party ticket for his son, Raja Faisal Zaman, pressed hard for nomination of Sajjad Khan Jadoon.