August 02, 2007	Thursday	Rajab 17, 1428

MUZAFFARGARH; Aug 1: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Malik Ghulam Mustafa Khar has said if his group is denied party tickets for the next elections, he will field his own candidates from all constituencies in the district.

A recent meeting of the PPP parliamentary board held in London did not include the Khar group among the ticket holders for the upcoming elections.

Also, some Pakistan Muslim League leaders may defect to the PPP due to nomination of Nawabzada Iftikhar as PML candidate from NA-178, sources said.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Khar said the PPP had been like a family to him for decades and for party’s well being he had opposed a PPP-Pervez Musharraf deal. He said Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s PPP had always fought against the dictatorship and if the PPP stood by General Pervez Musharraf, it would be a loser. He said he hoped PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto would not make any deal with the establishment and that he would be given PPP tickets from the district.

According to PPP district information secretary Mazhar Pahoor, six new faces were nominated for PPP tickets from the district.

From NA-176 and NA-177, Mian Mohsin Qureshi (Kotaddu) will be the PPP candidate, NA-178 (Muzaffargarh city) Jamshaid Dasti, NA-179 Sardar Moazam Ali Khan Jatoi and NA-180 Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan Jatoi.

From PP-251, Mian Mohsin Qureshi will represent the party, PP-252 Engineer Bilal Khar, PP-253 Ehsanul Haq Nolatia, PP-254 Mahr Irshad Sayal, PP-255 Rana Mahboob Akhtar, PP-256 Mian Mohsin Mughees Qureshi and PP-257 Jam Mazhar Diwala while PP-258, PP-259, PP-260 and PP-261 have been left at the disposal of Mr Jatoi.

PPP leader Muhammad Husain Munna Sheikh said candidature for NA-178 was not final and if Muzaffargarh tehsil nazim Abad Dogar joined the PPP, he would be given the ticket.

Sources said two ruling party MPAs Qaswar Langrial and Mian Imtiaz Aleem Qureshi could also join the PPP. Munna Sheikh confirmed the MPAs were in contact with the PPP and may quit the PML.