SAHIWAL, Dec 24: Serious differences have developed among the supporters of the district nazim over the nomination of naib nazim candidate of Sahiwal from Chichawatni tehsil. A ceremony was arranged for the announcement of the naib nazim candidate selected by the Punjab chief minister and the PML president.
Candidate Malik Faisal Ahmed Langrial was to be extended united support in the ceremony held in the local Circuit House on Saturday.
In the presence of provincial minister Muhammad Arshad Khan Lodhi and district nazim Rai Hasan Nawaz, some 22 nazims led by Haji Tariq Husain boycotted the ceremony on the nomination issue. The boycott caused a serious rift among the supporters of the district nazim.
Haji Tariq Husain claimed that provincial minister Muhammad Arshad Khan Lodhi and the district nazim had agreed that the naib nazim would be nominated from Sahiwal tehsil.
He said that Punjab chief minister had meted out a step-motherly treatment with the people of Sahiwal by nominating Malik Iqbal Ahmed Langrial as naib nazim.
Meanwhile, PML district president Malik Jalaldin Dhakkoo and secretary-general and MPA Pir Walayat Shah Khagga also did not attend the ceremony.
Malik Faisal Ahmed Langrial, the brother of former minister Malik Iqbal Ahmed Langrial and uncle of PML MPA Malik Nauman Ahmed Langrial, holds the nazim seat in Chichawatni sub-division.
Arrested: Three prayer leaders were arrested for misuse of loudspeakers in different parts of the district on Saturday.
While four other prayer leaders managed to escape from the scene after getting wind of police raids.
Police conducted a raid in Chak 92/12-L and arrested Maulana Aftab Husain, Maulana Nazar Husain and Maulana Zahoor Ahmed for delivering objectionable speeches on loudspeakers. They were sent to jail on a 14-day judicial remand.
Cases have been registered against the arrested prayer leaders under the Amplifier Act.
Shah Kot and Kassowal police also conducted raids in Chak 110/12-L to arrest Maulana Abdul Wahab, Maulana Muhammad Ramzan, Mufti Muhammad Muneeb and Maulana Atiqur Rehman, but they beat a retreat.
However, cases have been registered against them as well.
CASE: Grain Market police on Saturday registered a case against four people, including a truck driver, for killing a labourer.
Labourer Saghir Ahmed had reportedly abused broker Rana Farooq of the Grain Market for insulting him. Rana Farooq, also the Anjuman Arhatian president, along with his brother Abdullah and employee Maqsood tied Saghir Ahmed with a chain to an electricity pole. Later, they asked the truck driver to hit the vehicle with the pole, killing Saghir on the spot. Grain Market police handed over the body to his relatives after autopsy.