GUJRAT: The PPP has managed to rope in PTI’s Fakhar Umer Hayat Laleka, who will now be pitched as its candidate in NA-86 (Malakwal-Qadirabad) against former PPP leader Nazar Mohammad Gondal, who is now the PTI candidate in the constituency.

The scion of former MNA Umer Hayat Laleka, Mr Fakhar was earlier offered a PTI ticket from PP-68, but he refused and asked for an NA nomination.

He called on PPP Punjab President Qamar Zaman Kaira in Lalamusa on Tuesday. PPP Gujranwala division President Dewan Shamim Akhtar was also present.

Former PPP MNAs Nazar Gondal and Tariq Tarrar and some former MPAs from Mandi Bahauddin had joined PTI and since then PPP had been struggling to win support of some electables from the district where the party still had hopes. The district was once a PPP stronghold where it had clinched all NA (two) and PA (five) seats in 2008.

The joining of Fakhar Laleka is being hailed as a major achievement by the PPP as it will give a tough time to Nazar Gondal, who is already up against PML-N’s former MNA Nasir Iqbal Bosal.

Dewan Shamim had also applied for the ticket from NA-86 however he told Dawn he had always rendered sacrifices and would accept the party’s decision in NA-86.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2018