February 04, 2008	Monday	Muharram 25, 1429

MUZAFFARGARH, Feb 3: Pakistan Democratic Party chairman Nawabzada Mansoor Ahmad Khan, son of the late Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, is backing the PML-Q candidate for NA-179 and getting the support of PML-N in his constituency NA-178.

Syed Basit Sultan Bukhari is a PML-Q hopeful for NA-179. Earlier, Nawabzada Mansoor was also an aspirant for this constituency, but later he made seat adjustment with the PML-Q candidate. Now, Mr Mansoor is favouring Basit Sultan and in return the latter will support the former’s nephew Nawabzada Ahmed Khan, who is contesting for PP-257. In this constituency, other candidates are PML-Q’s Sardar Aun Dogar, PPP’s Jam Mazhar and Qaswar Langrial of MMA. PML-N candidate Chaudhry Gul Zaman has withdrawn in favour of Aun Dogar.

Mr Mansoor is a candidate for NA-178 and his opponent is PML-Q’s Nawbzada Iftikhar Ahmed Khan, his real brother. A few days ago, Nawaz Sharif had withdrawn PML-N’s Mian Ehsan Karim Qureshi in favour of Mr Mansoor which made the Nawabzada’s position strong. But Mansoor Khan’s `double standard’ has made the PML-N workers angry.

PML-N aspirant for PP-254 Mustafa Khar Junior says Mansoor is backing out of the adjustment that he will not support the PML-Q candidates. “In NA-178 all PML-N workers are doing campaign for Mansoor, but he instead of helping PML-N hopefuls for provincial constituencies, is supporting an independent candidate in PP-254,” Khar Junior says.

Sources say despite seat adjustment with PML-Q, electioneering by the nephew of Mr Mansoor is not up to the mark. In PP-257, Qaswar Langrial of MMA seems to be a strong candidate. Qaswar was a former PML-Q candidate.

Nawabzada Mansoor said: “It is a give and take policy and it is part of politics.”

Talking to this correspondent, Ghulam Mustafa Khar Junior said: “I have sent a report to Mian Nawaz Sharif against Mansoor.” — Correspondent