February 25, 2007	Sunday	Safar 7, 1428

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LAHORE, Feb 24: The selection of candidates for the 2007 elections will be a hard task for the ruling PML as besides having strong hopefuls within its own ranks for all constituencies, the party also faces the challenge of accommodating legislators who joined it after the 2002 polls. A number of independents who joined the PML also aspire for tickets.

The PML’s Punjab chapter has prepared a district-wise list of MNAs, MPAs and independents who joined the party during the period. The list also includes leaders of various PML factions and those of the National Alliance who merged their respective groups with the party led by Chaudhry Shujaat Husain, besides some PPP-Patriots leaders who switched loyalties.

In all, 38 MNAs and 83 MPAs from Punjab have joined the PML so far.

The ruling party sources say that most of the incumbent legislators are likely to be retained as candidates for the next elections. However, their position will be reassessed ahead of polls before taking a final decision on their fate.

The MNAs who joined the PML after the 2002 elections include former president Farooq Leghari, Awais Leghari, Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Ejazul Haq, Zafar Iqbal Waraich (all federal ministers) and Kashmir Committee Chairman Hamid Nasir Chattha.

Inamul Haq Paracha, Sumera Malik, Rana Asif Tauseef, Dr Nisar Ahmed Jutt, Saima Akhtar Bharwana, Farhan Lateef, Riaz Fatyana, Chaudhry Imranullah, Rehman Naseer, Mian Jalil Ahmed Sharqpuri, Khurran Munawwar Munjh, Rao Muhammad Ajmal Khan, Robina Shaheen Wattoo, Dewan Jafar Husain Bukhari, Hamid Yar Hiraj, Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla, Rana Tariq Javed, Jafar Khan Leghari, Niaz Ahmed Jhakkar, Muhammad Farooq Azam Malik, Riaz Husain Pirzada, Mumtaz Matiana, Tahir Bashir Cheema, Major Tanveer Husain Syed, Raees Munir Ahmed, Shahnaz Sheikh, Mina Ehsan Leghari, Aila Malik and Begum Rehana Aleem Mashahi are also among those who came from other parties.

The MPAs who joined the PML after the 2002 polls are: Chaudhry Kamran Khan, Faizul Hasan Chauhan, Syed Ijaz Bukhari, Col Sultan, Malik Shoiab, Asghar Hayat Kaliar, Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmed, Malik Saleh Muhammad Ganjial, Waris Kallu, Khalid Mehmud Wattoo, Ahsan Raza, Muhammad Saqlain Anwar, Zahoor Ahmed Sajid, Imtiaz Lali, Ghulam Ahmed Gadhi, Faisal Hayat, Chaudhry Bilal Asghar, Chaudhry Azhar Nadeem, Brig Javed Akram, Ashfa Riaz, Syed Hasan Raza, Muhammad Ashraf Kamboh, Mudassar Qayyum Nara, Akmal Saif Chattha, Chaudhry Muhammad Arshad, Amir Usman Adil, Pir Syed Saeedul Hasan, Begum Rehana Jamil, Akram Gujjar, Mian Muhammad Aslam, Ahad Malik, Chaudhry Talib Dagraan, Abdur Rashid Bhatty, Rao Jehanzeb, Rai Ejaz Ahmed, Chaudhry Ilyas Khan, Mian Iftikhar Channar, Dewan Ikhlaq Ahmed, Moeenuddin Riaz Qureshi, Rai Mansab, Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, Syed Mujahid Ali Shah, Husain Jehanian Gardezi, Sardar Muhammad Yar Hiraj, Zahoor Ahmed Qureshi, Walayat Husain Khagga, Waheed Asghar, Chaudhry Muhammad Arshad, Malik Noman Langrial, Khalid Mehmud Chauhan, Tahir Iqbal Chaudhry, Asif Saeed Manais, Javed Akhtar, Syed Abdul Aleem Shah, Muhammad Mohsin Leghari, Muhammad Yousaf Leghari, Ghazali Rahim Khan, Sardar Hasnain Bahadar Dreshak, Sardar Amanullah Dreshak, Sardar Shaukat Mazari, Tariq Gormani, Yasser Arafat, Qaim Ali Shah, Muzammil Rashid Abbasi, Khalid Mehmud Warren, Mian Muhammad Lateef Panhwar, Ahmed Nawaz, Chaudhry Shoaib Karim, Dr Muhammad Afzal, Nazar Mehmud Shah, Ghulam Murtaza, Chaudhry Ijaz Shafi, Makhdoom Ashfaq, Durre Shahwar Neelum, Shamim Akhtar, Humaira Owais Shahid, Farrukh Iqbal Khan, Anjum Sultana, Saba Sadiq and Nayyer Murtaza Lone.