KASUR: Former district naib nazim Masqood Sabir Ansari’s decision to join the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Friday, when the party is about to announce its election tickets, has created differences in party ranks in NA-138 and PP-174. His entry to the party has rung alarm bells among ticket aspirants for PP-174.

PTI’s likely candidate for NA-138 Sardar Aseff Ahmed Ali won over Ashfaq Kambi, a former PPP leader, as his candidate for the provincial seat.

A party worker requesting anonymity said Mr Ali might be concerned at party decision to accept Mr Ansari without his consent. Mr Kambo would be looking for some other option if the PTI ticket goes to Mr Ansari.

Mr Ansari told Dawn he would accept the party decision on the ticket. About bypassing Mr Ali on joining the party, Mr Ansari said that he was expecting a welcome call from Mr Ali after his meeting with PTI chairman Imran Khan, but Mr Ali did not bother to contact him.

Mr Ali, when contacted, said every party worker had right to comment on the award of tickets. He said Mr Ansari’s brother had bagged a few thousands votes in the last elections, so their joining to the party would not make much difference.

Earlier, Mr Ansari had announced contesting for NA-138 as an independent candidate. A call from the PTI top leadership on Thursday night that it was the last chance for him to join the party, forced Mr Ansari to accept the PTI offer on Friday.

He is the son of former MPA Ghulam Sabir Ansari who was elected parliamentarian for five consecutive terms from 1988 to 1997 from the PML-N platform. In 2002, he joined the PML-Q but could not contest elections because of the graduation bar.

In 2008 and 2013 elections, the PML-N fielded Naeem Safdar, also from the Ansari clan, from the constituency and won the seat both times. Mr Safdar is under clouds these days due to his anti-judiciary remarks.

The Ansari clan has 70,000 votes. In 2002, PPP’s Muzaffar Shah Kazmi won the election when the Ansari clan was divided over some differences.

At a meeting between PTI chief Imran Khan and Mr Ansari in Lahore, it was decided that Mr Ansari would be the PTI candidate for PP-174.

Political observers say that after new developments, former bar president Mehr Muhammad Saleem, aspirant for PTI ticket for NA-138 and PP-174, would leave the party and join either the Milli Muslim League or the PPP.

Other candidates for the PTI ticket for PP-174 Attaur Rehman Ansari, Farooq Ansari, Mubashar Nawaz and Naseer Khan will hold a meeting at the office of Farooq Ansari at Munir Shaheed Colony to make their plans.

Another crack in PTI ranks is likely in PP-176, a sub-constituency of NA-138, where Sardar Aseff is trying to get the PTI ticket for his nephew, Sardar Nadir Farooq, while former PPP district president Muhammad Husain Dogar is a strong candidate for the PTI ticket.

Published in Dawn, June 3rd, 2018