December 14, 2007	Friday	Zilhaj 3, 1428

GUJRANWALA, Dec 13: The Pakistan People’s Party has fielded its candidate for NA-100 for the first time to cash in on the division of the PML-Q into two factions over the issue of nominations, it is learnt here.

The PML-Q has declined to field former provincial parliamentary secretary Mudassar Qayyum Nahara for NA-100 and awarded ticket to ex-federal parliamentary secretary Rana Bilal Ijaz, son of former MNA Rana Ijaz Ahmad Khan. Mr Nahara was elected MPA as an independent candidate from PP-102 in 2002 elections and had joined PML-Q.

After the party’s decision, Nahara has formed his own faction and filed nomination papers as an independent candidate. Rana Bilal Ijaz had opposed him in local bodies election, however, Nahara group made it to the local government. Azher Qayyum Nahara, brother of Mudassar Nahara, had assumed the office of the Naushera Virkan town nazim.

A source said party’s provincial president Pervaiz Elahi had mediated between the two factions a few months ago which could not last and differences surfaced again during the filing of nominations.

In 2002 general elections, Rana Bilal Ijaz had bagged 73,107 votes against PML’s own faction chief Hamid Nasir Chattha who polled 49,255 votes.

Keeping in view the split in PML-Q ranks, PPP has fielded Brig Tariq Yaqoob (retired) for NA-100, Sohail Ahmad Khan for PP-101 and Sarfraz Chattha for PP-102. The Nahara group has awarded tickets to Amanat Virk for PP-101 and Rifaqat Gujjar for PP-102.

The PML-N and Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) seem to be least interested in the area as they did not announce candidates.