October 2, 2005	Sunday	Sha’aban 27, 1426

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SAHIWAL, Oct 1: Five supporters of Rai Hasan Nawaz, including a union council nazim and a councillor, were arrested here late on Friday night.

They were locked in the lock-up while police refused to give out the reason that led to their arrest.

Those arrested were: union council nazim Rana Imran Ahmed, councillor Muhammad Hanif, Shaikh Abdul Ghani, Muhammad Yaqoob and Rana Arshad.

Rai Hasan Nawaz is going to contest elections for the district nazim seat against ruling party candidate Naveed Aslam Lodhi, the son-in-law of the provincial agriculture minister.

However, two of the detainees, Muhammad Yaqoob and Rana Arshad, were released immediately after an attack of cardiac arrest. They were reportedly admitted to the local DHQ Hospital. Police were conducting raids for the arrest of more supporters of Rai Hasan Nawaz.

DIFFERENCES: Provincial agricultural minister Muhammad Arshad Khan Lodhi has wedged differences in the ranks of the local ruling PML.

This was stated by PML central leader and MNA Rai Azizullah, district president and MPA Malik Jalaldin Dhakko, MPA Waheed Asghar Dogar and Rai Hasan Nawaz, the opposition’s district nazim candidate, in a joint press conference here on Saturday.

They said that only Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi could save the party from further disintegration.

Condemning provincial minister Muhammad Arshad Khan Lodhi for taking arbitrary decision on important party matters, they also criticized the district administration for passing threats to councillors and nazims through the revenue staff and police.

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