MULTAN: The PPP and PML-N are having a difficult time finding suitable candidates for NA-156 (previously NA-150) against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

This constituency was once considered a PML-N stronghold so it was surprising that the party was struggling to field a strong candidate from here. Possible options for the PML-N were Chaudhry Waheed Arain, former provincial minister for prisons, and two-time MNA from the constituency Rana Mehmoodul Hassan.

In February 2015, Mr Arain was disqualified for possessing two national identity cards and Mr Hassan was awarded a PML-N ticket for Senate this year.

So far, no prominent figure from the PML-N has submitted their nomination papers for the constituency apart from Rana Shahidul Hassan, the younger brother of Mehmoodul Hassan; however he is not being considered a suitable candidate.

When Mr Hassan was awarded a ticket for the Senate, there were reports that he had been sent to the Upper House to accommodate Maryam Nawaz, as the decision was surprising even for Mr Hassan himself.

According to PML-N insiders, the party is convincing veteran politician Javed Hashmi to contest against Mr Qureshi; however Mr Hashmi is insisting that he would contest from NA-155 (previously NA-149) or NA-158 (previously NA-152).
A few days ago, former president Asif Ali Zardari visited Multan to convince former minister for religious affairs Hamid Saeed Kazmi to contest from NA-156, but the former minister refused. Kazmi was the appropriate choice of the PPP for NA-156 as he had a sizeable vote bank among Urdu-speaking as well as Punjabi voters.

After Kazmi’s refusal, PPP’s likely candidates could be Tanveerul Hassan Gilani, Nafees Ansari and Dr Javed Siddiqi. Mr Ansari was the PPP candidate from the constituency in the 2013 general elections. Mr Qureshi publicly thanked Kazmi for not agreeing to contest against him, saying the two enjoyed family relations for long.

According to PPP circles, the party is now more interested in Mr Qureshi’s defeat rather than winning the seat, and is focusing on fielding a suitable candidate whose participation could ensure Mr Qureshi’s defeat. For this purpose, they said Tanveer Gilani could be the likely choice who could divide the Seraiki vote bank of Mr Qureshi.

They said that there were chances that the PPP would announce its support for Mr Hashmi if he contested the election as an independent candidate with the support of PML-N.

PPP south Punjab Vice President Khawaja Rizwan Alam said the party had yet to take a decision regarding their candidate in the constituency.

Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2018