25 February 2005	Friday	15 Muharram 1426

FAISALABAD, Feb 24: Differences have been cropped up between the local PML-N leadership over the selection of party office holders.

Two groups of sitting and former parliamentarians of the PML-N are making hectic efforts for the selection of their favourites for the offices of city, tehsil and district organizations. The selection committee, headed by former MNA and senior PML-N leader M. Hamza, is also seen hapless to tackle the situation.

Insiders said the selection committee consisting of former MNAs Mian Abdul Mannan and Chaudhry Safdar Rehman met twice for the finalization of proposals for all party offices. But the meetings ended in smoke due to a tug of war between party leaders.

Mian Abdul Mannan and Chaudhry Safdar Rehman, heading their own groups, are trying to send names of their men for the main offices of the organization. Safdar Rehman, former district president, is favourite for the same slot.

Insiders said that former premier Nawaz Sharif had asked the committee members not to replace Safdar Rehman from the district president ship at any cost. However, a tug of war is going on for the posts of secretary-general, city and tehsil presidents, secretaries-general and other main party offices, including labour, lawyers, youth and women wings.

Former MPA and city president Khwaja Muhammad Islam is the only man acceptable to both the groups. His name has been forwarded to the central party command for the city president ship.

Former PML-N MNA Chaudhry Sher Ali and his son MNA Abid Sher Ali are running the other group, which is popular among the people as well as party stalwarts. MNA Raja Nadir Pervaiz is also backing this group.

Sources close to Sher Ali said the group had reservations over a number of policies of the central leadership, including the process adopted for filling the main posts of the party organization.

Deputy opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Rana Sanaullah Khan and PML-N MNA Sahibzada Fazal Karim are playing the role of silent spectators and only following the instructions from the party high command.