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OKARA, May 31: Influential rivals in Okara have stepped up activities for the forthcoming local government election. In this connection, former chief minister Mian Manzoor Wattoo, heading the Tamir-i-Watan group, is canvassing for his son, Deepalpur tehil nazim Khurram Jehangir. The Wattoo senior has contacted notable politicians here to seek their support for his son.
He called on former MPAs Rai Noor Muhammad Kharal, Muhammad Arif and Ikramul Haq the other day. He also met tehsil nazim Nadeem Abbas Rubera where PML MPA Mian Asghar and former chairman of municipal committee and PML-N ticket holder Mian Munir were also present.
Mr Wattoo told Dawn that there were two candidates for district nazim in Tamir-i-Watan group -- his son and sitting district nazim Syed Sajjad Haider. He said the final candidate would be picked at suitable time but, being a veteran, he has started campaign for his son.
TAMIR-I-OKARA: Meanwhile, tehsil nazim Nadeem Abbas Rubera held a meeting at his residence which was reportedly attended by more than 65 nazims and naib nazims of 41 union councils besides MPAs Mian Asghar and Rai Farooq Omar Kharal. The group was formed with Mr Rubera as its head.
It decided to contest the local election with enthusiasm and also name candidates for the offices of district and tehsil nazims.
This group also claimed that it had the support of ‘important’ political figures of Okara. It criticized district nazim Syed Sajjad Haider for ignoring the members of Okara tehsil in area uplift.
It may be noted that the participation of MPA Farooq Kharal in this group has special importance as his uncle, Rai Noor Kharal, who had been MPA for five consecutive times in 1985, 1988, 1990, 1993 and 1996, is also a candidate for tehsil nazim. He would be a strong candidate for having close links with political bigwig.
COUNTER MOVE: The political rival of Mr Wattoo, PML MNA from Deepalpur, Rao Ajmal Khan, has, in the meantime, started levelling allegation of corruption against him. It is learnt that Mr Wattoo is trying to reconcile with Malik Abbas Khokhar and MPA Malik Nazar Farid Khokhar to counter propaganda.
