December 17, 2007	Monday	Zilhaj 6, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Dec 16: Naheed Khan, political secretary to Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto, has withdrawn her nomination papers for election to a seat reserved for women in the National Assembly from Punjab.

Sources said Ms Khan submitted an application to the Election Commission in Lahore on Saturday seeking withdrawal of her nomination papers.

The former MNA had been placed at the top of the list of the party’s candidates for the reserved seats from Punjab.

The sources claimed that Ms Khan had withdrawn her papers because she was upset over Ms Bhutto’s decision to award tickets to some controversial women on reserved seats, particularly in Sindh.

On the other hand, the PPP claimed that Ms Khan had withdrawn her papers because she believed that she would not be able to perform her tasks as a parliamentarian as she was burdened with party work.

A PPP office-bearer said Ms Khan had submitted her papers reluctantly. The sources said she had tried to persuade Ms Bhutto to change the women candidates but the chairperson refused to do so.

The sources said Ms Bhutto had allowed Ms Khan to withdraw her papers if she could not sit with certain members of the party in parliament.

Ms Khan’s husband Senator Dr Safdar Abbasi expressed his ignorance about the decision.