February 25, 2007	Sunday	Safar 7, 1428

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MUZAFFARGARH, Feb 24: Some were shocked while many amazed in the Muzaffargarh city on Saturday at the news that the three sons of the late Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan had joined the Pakistan Muslim League (PML).

The three sons of the late Nawabzada –- Iftikhar Ahmed Khan, Israr Ahmed and Ibrar Ahmed — joined the PML on Friday in the presence of Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi in Lahore. The media reported that they had joined the party with 170 UC nazims and councillors.

But according to Dawn investigation, only four union council nazims — Dost Muhammad Mahra, Ahsan Bhutta, Haji Liaqat and Akhtar Gopang — and over three dozen councillors, including those elected on special seats, were present at the press conference.

Political analysts believe that the Nawab family’s decision to join the PML would not benefit the party at the local level while the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) would feel its shockwave at the national level. ARD vice-president Nawabzada Mansoor Khan opposed the decision of his family to go along with the party. His inability to keep his family united did not make him the right political heir of Nawab Nasrullah as the late Nawab had matchless ability to even keep staunch political opponents united, said analysts.

According to sources, State Minister for Communication Shahid Jameel Qureshi and MPA Qaswar Langrial could switch over their affiliations to the PPP if the Nawab family were given importance in the local affairs. In the last 2002 elections, the Nawab family had fielded its candidates for two National Assembly and three Provincial Assembly seats but failed to win any. Later, in 2005 Local Body elections, Nawab Iftikhar failed to retain his tehsil nazim slot.

PPP leader Muhammad Husain Munna Sheikh confirmed the report that the Qureshi group was in close contact with the PPP and would join it at an appropriate time.

Talking to Dawn, Iftikhar said 12 nazims and 158 councillors were present at the press conference when they joined the PML. He said they had joined the party unconditionally and had full confidence in the leadership of Elahi. He said even though Nawabzada Mansoor Khan, the ARD vice-president, had opposed their decision, they had joined the PML in the best interest of the people. He said his father had fought through his life against dictatorship but in politics everything was possible.

Iftikhar’s rival, Sardar Abbad Dogar who is Muzaffargarh tehsil nazim, said he welcomed the decision of the Nawab family. He said perhaps Nawab family would be offered the slot of district nazim as the Punjab government was trying hard to remove District Nazim Qayyum Jatoi, who is from the PPP.

Jatoi said he was dismayed at the decision of the Nawab family to side with the PML. He said the extreme step was taken at the behest of Mansoor Khan. He said Mansoor should also announce joining the PML. He said the Nawab group had no standing in the district assembly and with the Nawabs gone to the ruling side, he would miss only two nazims.

Syed Abid Bukhari, city nazim of Shehr Sultan, said that the chief minister wanted to remove the district nazim at every cost, so he had asked the Nawab family to join the PML.