BAHAWALPUR, March 16: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has reportedly invited two PPP deserters - MPAs Dr Muhammad Afzal and Shoaib Karim from Yazman - to Lahore.
Sources said a CM's representative contacted them on Tuesday and invited them to Lahore. It is learnt that Mr Elahi will formally extend them an invitation to join the ruling party besides offering them the PML tickets to contest the bypolls of their respective provincial seats.
District Nazim Tariq Cheema, who has also ditched PPP, left for Lahore on Tuesday where he is expected to sort out his political affairs with the ruling coalition and take a final decision for his future strategy as he had indicated in his Monday's press conference in Bahawalpur.
Meanwhile, Tariq Cheema's younger brother Tahir Cheema, Chishtian Tehsil Nazim who has also parted ways with the PPP, is an aspirant for the PML-Q ticket for NA-190 bypoll.
The filing of nomination papers for the seat which fell vacant after the death of Abdul Sattar Laleka began on Tuesday in Bahawalnagar. Wednesday (today) is the last day.
Sources said if the ruling coalition obliges Tariq Cheema by awarding the party ticket to his brother, Shahida Sattar, the widow of the former federal minister, might be given some other incentive. She is also an aspirant for the same seat.
The PPP Parliamentarians may field its divisional coordinator Mumtaz Matiana to confront Tahir Cheema. The MMA is also weighing options to contest the seat. For NA-196, which was vacated by Zafar Iqbal warriach, the PPP has reportedly asked its CEC member Chaudhry Zaka Ashraf to prepare himself for the bypoll.
The PML-N may field former deputy speaker Ch Jaffar Iqbal Gujjar, the brother-in-law of Mr Zaka Ashraf. There is a possibility that the ARD supports one of them against Mr warriach, who may get the PML-Q ticket or backing.
RECEPTION: The Akhbar Farosh Union, Bahawalpur, on Tuesday night arranged a reception in honour of visiting central joint secretary Sheikh Umardin of All Pakistan Akhbar Farosh Federation and other leaders.
Speaking as a chief guest, Bahawalpur Tehsil Nazim Mian Najeebuddin Owaisi assured the union that their problems pertaining to the construction of Akhbar market, a residential colony and setting up of a welfare fund would be examined. He invited them to a dialogue.
