November 24, 2007	Saturday	Ziqa’ad 13, 1428

MUZAFFARGARH, Nov 23: Former Punjab governor Malik Ghulam Mustafa Khar has decided to contest the general elections from the platform of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and he will field his strong candidates from five seats in Kotaddu and Muzaffargarh tehsils.

Talking to Dawn, former provincial minister Malik Abdul Rehman Khar, son of Mustafa Khar, said PML-N leader Mian Nawaz Sharif would take a final decision about their candidature.

Rehman Khar said Mustafa Khar was eligible for the elections as he held a degree equivalent to graduation required for contesting the election.

Former Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) veteran Mustafa Khar made inroads into PML-N ranks when he appeared seating by Mr Sharif during the flight on his failed attempt to land in Pakistan on Sept 10.

The candidates likely to be fielded from the Khar group include: former member of the National Assembly (MNA) Malik Arbi Khar, former MPAs Rehman Khar, Malik Tahir Miladi Khar and Malik Bilal Khar.

Also many politicians took their nomination papers from returning officers in Muzaffargarh and Kotaddu.

AB Mujahid was the first to file his papers. He is a PPP hopeful from PP-254. Dr Tanveer Qureshi, brother of jailed Shahid Jameel Qureshi, said that his brother would also file the nomination paper from NA-178 provided the Election Commission let him contest the election. He is behind the bars in the murder case of Kafila Siddiqui.

PML-Q candidate Nawabzada Iftikhar Ahmad Khan got nomination papers for NA-178, former state minister and PML-Q candidate Hina Rabbani Khar for NA-177, PML-N hopeful Ghulam Arbi Khar for NA-177, PPP candidate Mian Mohsin Qureshi for NA-177, former PPPP MNA Khalida Mohsin Qureshi for NA-176, PPP hopeful Irshad Sial for PP-256, independent candidate Rabia Begum for PP-257, PPP hopeful Jam Younus for PP-257, PML-Q candidate Basit Bukhari for NA-180, PML-N hopeful Rao Qayyum for NA-178, PML-Q candidate Jawad Khar for PP-255, PPP hopeful Rana Mahboob Akhtar for PP-255 and PPP hopeful Engineer Bilal Khar for PP-254.

PPP-backed District Nazim Qayyum Jatoi who was released two days from Lahore has gone to Islamabad to meet PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto to finalise candidates from the district.