RAWALPINDI: The PPP has given party tickets to candidates in 14 out of 20 wards, for the upcoming local government elections in cantonment areas. In the remaining six wards, the party has decided to support independent candidates.

Members of the PPP contesting elections in these six wards have opted to file nomination papers for the elections as independent candidates.

The PPP candidates submitted party tickets for seven wards in the Rawalpindi Cantonment and seven wards in Chaklala Cantonment Board on the last day.

Former PPP City General Secretary Babu Idrees told Dawn, “The PPP is not popular among voters. If we contest elections under the PPP’s banner we would definitely lose.”

He said the PPP had failed to find candidates to contest elections in cantonment areas because of poor performance, while in government and the leadership’s lack of interest in solving the problems of old workers.

Party will support independent candidates in six wards

A local PPP leader told Dawn that the PPP local leader Zamurud Khan had been unable to find a candidate to field in his home ward, Ward Number 1 of Rawalpindi Cantonment Board, which includes the areas of Naseerabad and Peshawar Road.

He said Zamurud Khan’s close associate Farooq Mir refused to contest the elections on a PPP ticket and managed to convince the PPP City Chapter not to give a party ticket in this ward.

He said in the remaining five wards of both cantonments, no party worker applied for a PPP ticket. He said to hide the inability of the local chapter to bring in candidates, the local leaders announced their support for independent candidates.

The PPP City Chapter spokesperson Shujaat Haider Naqvi confirmed that the PPP would support independent candidates in six wards of cantonment boards. He said some party workers wanted to contest the elections independently.

Mr Naqvi said that the party would surprise all other parties as PPP members would be seen as vice presidents of cantonment boards.

Meanwhile, on the last date for filing of party tickets with the returning officers, ruling PML-N and PTI’s 20 candidates submitted their party tickets. Fourteen candidates from the PPP, nine from the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), three from Shiekh Rashid Ahmed’s Awami Muslim League and one from Tahirul Qadri’s Pakistan Awami Tehreek have submitted their party tickets.

According to the schedule announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan, the last date for the decision on appeals by the tribunal has been set for April 9.

Last date for withdrawal of candidature has been set on April 10, publication of revised list of candidates will be made on April 11 and polling will be held on April 25.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2015

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