TOBA TEK SINGH, May 4: Former Punjab minister Makhdoom Syed Ali Raza has denied holding any meeting with Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi to discuss nomination of a ruling party candidate for the district nazim’s slot. Earlier, Col Naveed Mushtaq Gill (retired), a new face in politics, was presumed to be given green signal for the top district slot. Mr Naveed Gill is the son of the late Mushtaq Gill.

Sources claimed that Makhdoom Ali Raza, who is the father of PPP MPA from Pirmahal Syed Hasnain Raza, also attended the meeting in which the all-important decision was taken.

Talking to newsmen, Mr Raza claimed that the chief minister had not given green signal to any of the aspirants and the rumours in this regard were baseless.

He also claimed that he himself was not a candidate for the position and even if the PML nominated incumbent nazim Chaudhry Ashfaq again as its candidate, he would wholeheartedly support him.

Meanwhile, sources close to Punjab Forest Minister Dr Ashfaqur Rehman, who is the brother-in-law of Naveed Gill, insist that he (Mr Gill) is the most obvious choice for the post.

According to another source, the chief minister is unhappy with Chaudhry Ashfaq because of his relationship with PPP leaders, including Khalid Ahmad Kharal.

Mr Gill’s nomination is supported by a close associate of President Pervez Musharraf and National Security Council Secretary Tariq Aziz, who is a cousin of Dr Ashfaqur Rehman.

On the other hand, MNAs Riaz Fatyana and Chaudhry Amjad Warraich, MPA Chaudhry Bilal Asghar and Punjab Women Development Minister Begum Ashfa Fatyana had reportedly informed Pervaiz Elahi that if Mr Ashfaq was again nominated for the nazim’s slot, they would not support him.

Mian Farhan Latif, the nephew of Chaudhry Ashfaq, is the only MNA from Toba Tek Singh who supports him.