January 22, 2003	Wednesday	Ziqa’ad 18, 1423

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LAHORE, Jan 21: The PML-Q, after much thought, announced on Tuesday its candidates for the Senate, elections for which are to be held next month.

The PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain disclosed the names of candidates at a news conference.

Kamil Ali Agha, Shaukat Aziz, Dr Shehzad Waseem, Naeem Husain Chattha, Tariq Azeem, Javed Ashraf Qazi, Mian Muhammad Abbas Qureshi, Dilawar Abbas, Dr Zafar Iqbal and Kabir Ali Wasti are candidates on general seats from Punjab.

On seats for technocrats the party has chosen: S. M. Zafar, Dr Khalid Ranjha and Anwar Bhinder.

Nighat Ara, Shamim Alim and Gulshan Saeed will contest on women’s seats.

Candidates from Sindh are: Mohmmadmian Soomro, Dr Hafeez Sheikh, Ikram Saigal, Nisar Memon and Maj (retd) Mustajab.

Engr Fazal Husain, Commander Khalil, Begum Fakhruzzaman, Justice Azam Khan have been chosen from the NWFP.

Candidates from Islamabad are: Javed Khalid Lateef, Tahira Lateef, Amina Asghar and Dr Mazhar Qayyum.

About the delay in the announcement of names of candidates, he said unlike rival parties, which had sought instructions from Jeddah and Dubai to finalize their candidates, the PML-Q had taken all decisions at home.

In response to a question, Shujaat said his party had formed an alliance with the MMA for a general seat in the federal capital. The MMA leader Professor Ghafoor Ahmed will be supported by the ruling party.

Responding to a question, Shujaat said there was no possibility of the Sharifs’ return. However, he said some members of the family were non-political. He said it was the government’s generosity that they had been allowed to come to Pakistan for a few days.

OFFICES: Chaudhry Shujaat said leaders holding public offices would quit party offices next week. Provincial presidents, who were also chief ministers, would leave their party posts and be replaced by senior vice-presidents. In due course, he said, election would be held for these offices.

IRAQ: Referring to the Iraq crisis, Shujaat said a group of experts would be formed to study the situation and give recommendations to the government. He said special cells would be set up for economic and political issues.