December 20, 2007	Thursday	Zilhaj 9, 1428

GUJRAT, Dec 19: Workers and leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Manid Bahauddin district have refused to accept the party’s decision of awarding party ticket to Mumtaz Tarrar from NA-108, Dawn has learnt.

Party’s candidates from the two of the three provincial assembly constituencies falling under NA-108 are also supporting independent candidate Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry, former member of the National Assembly (MNA), who joined the PML-N recently. They say Mr Tarrar did not participate in the 2002 elections and remained out of political scene, so he should have not been awarded the ticket.

Sources say senior PML-N leaders pledged with the local leaders that Mr Chaudhry would be awarded the ticket if he ditched the PMLQ. PML-N District President Dewan Mushtaq Ahmed played a key role in bringing Mr Chaudhry to the PML-N folds. Mr Chaudhry’s brother Imtiaz Ahmed is Mandi Bahauddin tehsil nazim.

Mr Tarrar was elected MNA on the PML-N ticket from the constituency in 1997 but he opted not to contest the 2002 elections despite repeated requests by workers and leaders.

Faiza Mushtaq Dewan, daughter of the PML-N district president, is the PML-N candidate from PP-116 and from PP-120, Chaudhry Ghulam Rasool Gondal, former MPA, is the party nominee. These both candidates are favouring Mr Chaudhry instead of Mr Tarrar in electioneering.

Mr Tarrar was first elected MNA on the ticket of the Pakistan People’s Party in 1988 but he joined the PML-N in 1993 and lost the elections to PPP nominee Zafarullah Tarrar. From this constituency, the PML-Q candidate is Zafar Tarrar and PPP’s nominee is Tariq Tarrar.