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LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is set to repeat its old-timers across Punjab except a few constituencies in Lahore for the July 25 vote.
The parliamentary board has almost completed interviews of ticket seekers for all Punjab divisions.
However, those vying for the National and Punjab Assembly seats from the provincial capital, considered the citadel of the PML-N for the last three decades, have been invited for an interview-cum-meeting at the Model Town offices of the party on Sunday (today).
“In most of the constituencies throughout the province we are preferring those for award of tickets who had contested from the party’s platform in the 2013 election and remained steadfast to its ideology and discipline particularly after the ouster of prime minister Nawaz Sharif,” a senior leader involved in the process of award of tickets told Dawn on Saturday.
Asks Nisar to adopt formal procedure for ticket
Party loyalists will be preferred in choosing candidates for the constituencies where old contestants have ditched the party and joined rival outfits, he said, adding that reports in this respect have already been obtained from relevant district PML-N bodies.
According to him, the hopefuls for Lahore seats will be interviewed on Sunday and new faces are likely to be introduced for a couple of National and Punjab Assembly seats.
The official claimed that Maryam Nawaz is likely to contest for a seat other than NA-125 as Nawaz Sharif has asked his daughter to build her own constituency for establishing her credentials as an independent political figure. Maryam has obtained nomination papers for NA-127 also.
The official claimed that Salman Shahbaz, son of ex-CM Shahbaz Sharif and younger brother of ex-MNA Hamza, is also making his debut in the politics and has been asked to choose a constituency in the suburbs of Lahore instead of any from the Walled City or old Lahore area.
He has been given the option to choose by-election for his debut should he need more time for preparations in case of a suburban constituency.
Nisar may not get party ticket
Estranged PML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar may not get party ticket if he does not appear before the parliamentary board.
Former federal information minister Pervaiz Rashid says only those will be considered for award of party tickets who have formally applied for it and are appearing before the board.
Chaudhry Nisar has not yet applied for the party ticket, while the board is set to interview Rawalpindi division candidates on Monday.
It is learnt that party president Shahbaz Sharif, along with his son Salman Shahbaz, visited Nisar in Rawalpindi on Saturday to make a last-ditch effort to convince the politician from Chakri to adopt the formal procedure for getting the party ticket.
“All top leaders irrespective of their party offices, including party supremo Nawaz Sharif when he was qualified to contest polls, have been and are following the formal procedure and appearing before the parliamentary board to qualify for the party ticket,” Mr Rashid told the media at an event organised by Mushahid Hussain Sayed and Muhammad Mehdi.
Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2018
For more live updates, follow Dawn.com's official news Instagram account @dawn.today
Comments (27) Closed
This time, the people of Punjab will ensure a crushing defeat for the Sharif brothers and their next generation so that Pakistan can be free of their clutches of corruption forever .
If PML-N loses Ch Nisar, their party is more or less over. The only well educated, intelligent patriotic member. The rest, well less said the better.
PML-N should not give ticket to Nisar Ali Khan. Let him check the waters without Nawaz’s vote bank.
In my opinion, the future of Ch Nisar is turbulent in PMLN, and eventually, he will not treated with respect and will leave, because of personality clash and different mindsets. Ch Nisar had an excellent opportunity to leave with dignity and, now he will leave at a later date with disrespect and have to follow orders from Mrs M Safdar or will be kicked out - this is my candid assessment!
Nisar should have walked away from PMLN if he had any self respect.
@AW Are you sure?. I can see the defeat of PTI all over Punjab. This time the episode of PPP will be repeated with PTI in Punjab.
PMLN is bullying its voters. What they got from the government is false promises. It is time the voters should think about other party. Tried and tested have always failed the nation only PTI has the ability to deliver.
@AW we will see who gets defeated
@Mohsin that's the best joke I heard all day. Wake up and smell the coffee now, as PTI is going for clean sweep
@Umar Yes I agree with your statement regarding to the "Clean Sweep" part. PTI will be clean sweeped from Punjab this time. They will be history given the elections will be held on a free and fair basis.
@AW : Really ! Are you so sure ?
If Chaudhary Nisar is uncomfortable with the leadership, he should dare to leave the party instead of remaining ambivalent.
Why should Nisar run for a disgraced party leadership . After the defeat he will run for the leadership And rebuild the party .
@Aamir Nisar does not have to run in this election . There will be plenty offering him Senate .
Treatment of Ch Nisar is a lesson to everyone. Do not trust the NS family.
Ultimately Chaudhry Nisar yielded to Maryam's pressure. In other words he has agreed to work under her.
it looks like the other way, PTI is going to be finished.
What other options does it has but to bank on its old horses in the upcoming 2018 general elections in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan?
@Zak , there shall never be a place for a traitor in any party, country and the world.
PML-N is better off without Nisar.
Let him go and stand as an independent or join hands with 'the invisible-visible hand' sponsored two horses-Imran and Musharraf.
@AW the statement needs to be reconsidered. PML-N has still a powerful voter bank.
I think Ch. Nisar understand he has damaged the party and NS family as much as he can. Now he is exposed and every one know his credentials and no one in the party will trust him. So he use this occasion to apart from the party and keep abusing PMLN and NS family.
I think Nisar will contest from NA-59 as independent candidate with PTI withdrawing his candidate in favour of him.
I pray that people of Pakistan reject PMLN enmasse. I would love to see PMLN wiped out provincially and federally. Inshallah Pakistan will clean from PMLN
@Aamir , Nawaz Who
I don't know why people support NS and his family.
@AW For PTI in Punjab 2018 Elections will be what 2013 Elections were for PPP. Just wait and see
I am sure PTI will emerge as the leading party in Punjab and KPK. It will also get few seats from Sindh and Balochistan. I hope to see PTI to form govt in center, Punjab and KPK.