FAISALABAD, Aug 17: The three mainstream opposition parties — the MMA, the PPP and the PML-N — are still indecisive about naming their nominees for the nazim’s slot of one of the most historical and predominantly rural towns, Jaranwala. It has the biggest population and vote bank in Faisalabad.

The Jaranwala Town, which was once known as a land of philanthropist Sir Ganga Ram and Bhagat Singh, a freedom fighter of the subcontinent, has now attained the status of a hub of modern industries in the country and abroad.

Khurrianwala, a mini-town of Jaranwala, has been developed as a centre of value-added products with the establishment of industrial units. Some entrepreneurs have set up their business houses, fair price shops and even export houses in this town.

An overwhelming majority of the residents of the town belongs to the working class.

The demarcation of Jaranwala remained intact under the new plan. It has, however, been given the status of a town by the Tehsil Municipal Administration (City).

It falls under Union Council No 57 comprising Chaks 54, 58, 151, 76 (RB Khurrianwala), 200, 106, 103, 68, 61, 91 (Rakh Branch), 97, 101, 63, 106, 205, 229, 112, 73 67, 122 (GB Gatwala, Makuana) and 644, 647, 631, 648, 434, 239, 147, 240, 353, 364, 378, 383, 363, 273, 282, 283, 22, 55, 115, 32, 39, 37 (Jhang Branch).

The Jaranwala town has been a fort of the PPP since the 1970 election. But in the general election of 2002, two national and four provincial assembly seats were won by the PML nominees. Federal Law, Justice and Human Rights Minister Wasi Zafar and Punjab Communication and Works Minister Chaudhry Zeheeruddin Khan, who were originally PPP activists, had contested the elections from the PML platform and dealt a blow to the PPP. Yet another PML MPA Dr Muhammad Shafique is a member of the Pervaiz Elahi cabinet.

Even in the previous local bodies election held in 2001, the PPP-backed Rana Abdul Rehman won the seat of tehsil nazim by defeating his rival, Chaudhry Muneer Ahmad, a cousin of Wasi Zafar.

During the campaign of the general election of 2002, the PML high command won the heart of Abdul Rehman and brought him in its fold. In reward, his wife, Dr Tasneem, was given the ticket for an MPA seat reserved for women. Despite maximum support in the last election, he has failed to get the green signal for being the ruling party candidate for the second tenure and his arch-rival, Chaudhry Muneer Ahmad, who is being supported by ISI second-in-command Maj-Gen Taqi Zafar and Federal Law Minister Wasi Zafar has succeeded in getting support of the ruling party.

The opposition trio of the PPP, the PML-N and the MMA undoubtedly has roots here and enjoy support of a majority of voters in the town, but it is still indecisive about formally announcing a joint candidate for town nazim’s office.

All important political party leaders are actively launching their campaigns. Rana Zahid Tauseef, a former MNA of the PML-N, and his MNA brother Asif Tauseef, former MPA Rana Muhammad Azhar Khan, former provincial minister Chaudhry Muhammad Akram and ticket-holder Rana Muhammad Idrees are canvassing for the PML-N nominees.

Rai Ijaz Ahmad, Chaudhry Tasneem Elahi, Rana Talib Husain and Ijaz Butt are vigorously canvassing for the PPP-backed group’s panels for union councils. While MPA Raza Shahid Waseer, Mian Ghulam Haider Bari, Rai Rab Nawaz Khan, MNA Chaudhry Asim Nazir, Federal minister Wasi Zafar, provincial ministers Chaudhry Zaheeruddin Khan and Dr Shafiq Ahmad are actively supporting the PML-backed candidates in union councils of Jaranwala Town, which according to area people, are in a better position.

A survey conducted by Dawn reveals that the local opposition leaders are half-heartedly supporting their nominees. Quite a good number of independent panels in union councils are also in the race.

The town is said to be under command of PML Punjab Secretary-General Chaudhry Zaheeruddin Khan, a minister, who has launched several development projects for the area people. He is actively supporting the PML panels.