CHAKWAL: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has found itself in a tough battle with the Sardar Ghulam Abbas group over the office of Chakwal district council chairman.

The Sardar Ghulam Abbas group is in a position to steal victory from the PML-N by making an alliance with PTI and winning over some of the newly elected chairmen who contested as independents.

Local PML-N leaders have their eyes set on the old stalwart, retired Lt-Gen Abdul Majeed Malik, who, in his 96th year, still matters the most when it comes to resolving intricate political issues.

Hectic efforts by PML-N leaders and their rival group are underway to win the support of the greatest number of chairmen who won as independents.

Of 71 union councils (UC) of the district, elections were held in 68. PML-N won in 28 UCs while independent candidates won in 33 UCs – five UCs fell to the PTI and PML-Q won two.

Of the 33 chairmen who won as independents, 26 belong to the Sardar Ghulam Abbas group while six are inclined towards the PML-N.

The newly elected chairmen of UCs Chak Umra and Bochal Khurd are inclined towards the PML-N. Both contested the elections as independents despite being affiliated with the PML-N. Sources said that as many as four newly elected chairmen from Talagang are likely to announce their joining the PML-N within a couple of days.

The remaining three newly elected chairmen who won as independents are the two chairmen from PML-Q who could turn the tables, which is why both PML-N and the Sardar Ghulam Abbas group are working frantically to win the support of the new chairmen.

Both stakeholders are claiming that they will grab the office of district council chairman.

“We have 39 UCs’ chairmen and we will get our candidate elected as district council chairman easily,” PML-N’s retired Lt Gen Malik said. But according to PML-N MNA Sardar Mumtaz Tamman, the party only has 35 chairmen.

Sardar Ghulam Abbas claimed that he had 28 chairmen and said his group was doing its best to hold the district councils’ reins.

However, his group does not belong to any registered political party, and since elections are held on a party basis, Mr Abbas must join a political party before he can play any role in the newly restored local government system.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2015

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