November 30, 2007	Friday	Ziqa’ad 19, 1428

SWABI, Nov 29: Several candidates awarded tickets by the PML(Q) have refused to contest the elections from the party’s platform.

Swabi District Nazim Shahram Khan’s uncle Usman Khan Tarakai, who is contesting for NA-12, Swabi-I, and his relative Javed Tarakai, who is contesting for PF-32, Swabi-II, have declared that they will contest the elections from the Swabi Jamhoori Ittehad (SJI) platform.

The SJI was formed by the family when Shahram Khan contested the district nazim’s election against a candidate of the Awami National Party.

Provincial PML(Q) president Amir Muqam frequently visited the Tarakai House and played a key role in arranging visits of President Pervez Musharraf and former prime minister Shaukat Aziz to the district.

There were reports that Mr Muqam would contest election from NA-13 in Swabi but he did not come forward although the Gandaf jirga, led by former provincial minister Ghafoor Jadoon, had decided to support him.

Now the PML(Q) is left in the district with only Mr Jadoon and Sajjad Khan, who has filed nomination papers for NA-13 and PF-35. “We have decided to contest the elections from the SJI platform,” Usman Tarakai said.

Mr Usman worked as a technical advisor for Al Jazeera Television in Qatar before returning to contest the elections against ANP president Asfandyar Wali Khan. Another leader, Asad Zaman, is contesting for PF-34 as an independent candidate. “I held meetings with my elders and supporters who decided that I would not contest from the PML(Q) platform,” he said.