May 27, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 21, 1429

DERA GHAZI KHAN, May 26: The candidate of Khosa Group backed by the PML-N was elected district naib nazim after the councillors belonging to the PML-Q boycotted the process here on Monday.

Later, the PML-Q members accused the provincial government of interfering in the local body elections, which, according to them, was a violation of the law.

Asim Zubair Khan Khosa, who is a former Dera Ghazi Khan tehsil nazim and cousin of the Punjab chief minister, bagged 45 out of the 79 total votes while 34 members of the Legahri Group backed by the PML-Q and headed by District Nazim Maqsood Ahmad Khan Leghari did not turn up to cast their votes.

MNA Saifuddin Khosa, another brother of the chief minister, is heading the Khosa Group.

The local district and sessions judge conducted the elections. He praised the peaceful attitude of members of the district council.

Talking to reporters, the PML-Q members said the provincial government used district government, police and border military police to harass the supporters of Leghari Group.

District Nazim Maqsood Leghari, former federal minister Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari and Dera Ghazi Khan tehsil nazim Mehmood Qadir Leghari accused Khosas of patronising land mafia who was devouring public and government lands. They said that when the people deprived of their lands took to the street against land mafia on Monday, the police resorted to baton charging the protesters including women and children of Allahabad Colony.

The district nazim criticised the eviction of Zenat Khan, a former PML-Q MPA and a widow, from her residence by the district government officials.

He said that the district coordination officer and the district police officer were playing to the tunes of Khosas and were violating the law.