RAWALPINDI: After winning all the seats of the two cantonment boards in the garrison city, the ruling PML-N is set to elect four minority and peasant members on May 29 without any hindrance.

Sources said the PML-N local leaders would be inducting their relatives on the peasant seats of the two cantonment boards. PML-N lawmaker Malik Abrar’s brother-in-law has emerged as a strong candidate in the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) while Senator Chaudhry Tanveer has brought his nephew to the Chaklala Cantonment Board (CCB).

However, the PML-N workers feel discriminated against as they were not given any priority for the seats meant for labourers and peasants despite having two-third majority in the boards.

A senior local leader of the PML-N told Dawn that the peasant seat had significance for the election of the vice-president as Senator Chaudhry Tanveer wanted his nephew to become the vice-president of the Chaklala Cantonment Board.

He said MNA Malik Abrar also wanted one of his family members in the board as in the cantonment elections he did not field any of his relatives fearing the PTI would defeat them. However, he said the PTI failed to win a seat in the cantonment elections.

Four minority and peasant seats of two cantonment boards will be filled on 29th

“Due to favouritism, the PML-N lost election in Ward 2 of the Chaklala Cantonment Board as a number of party workers contested the polls as independent candidates paving way for the victory of JI candidate.” He said the local workers and supporters were complaining that after winning the elections the PML-N local leaders did not remain in contact with them and instead of resolving their problems remained busy in Islamabad.

Mohammad Sajid, a PML-N worker, added that the workers were ignored in the past but the selection of Chaudhry Tanveer as a senator had given a hope that he would be helping the party workers. “But he also joined the local party leaders and ignored us,” he said.

Rashid Khan, another party worker from Peshawar Road, said people visited the office of the local party leader but he was never available and remained busy in Islamabad.

When contacted, PML-N former MNA Malik Shakil Awan said Chaudhry Tanveer was looking after the affairs of the cantonment boards and other leaders were not on board on the issue of awarding tickets for the cantonment elections.

MPA Raja Hanif Advocate, who was part of the parliamentary committee, also said he was not aware of the party ticket holders for minority and peasant seats. He said Chaudhry Tanveer was running the affairs and made the decisions in good faith.

Chaudhry Tanveer could not be contacted for comments as his staff said he was busy in the Prime Minister House, Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2015

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