LAHORE: PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif’s son Hamza has been given the task to run the election campaign for Maryam Nawaz in NA-127 and PP-173 (Lahore).

According to a PML-N leader, the party leadership has directed Hamza to ‘aggressively’ run Maryam’s campaign. He said Hamza on Monday assigned duties to party members of the union councils of NA-127 and promised to reward them if they worked hard for the victory of Maryam Bibi.

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Speaking to party workers Model Town, Hamza said he would himself monitor election campaign in his (NA-124) and other constituencies of the city. He said the PML-N would emerge victorious in July 25 polls.

Interestingly, Maryam had allegedly separated Hamza from Kulsoom Nawaz’s NA-120 by-poll campaign in September last. Hamza had chosen to leave the country for London during the entire by-poll campaign.

In the absence of Hamza, Maryam not only had taken over the control of 180-H Model Town party office where Hamza used to monitor the PML-N by-election campaign in the province but she also formed her own team in Lahore parallel to that of her cousin.

Meanwhile, Maryam on Monday sought retirement from NA-125 after she failed to withdraw her nomination papers in time.

Maryam who is contesting election on NA-127 and PP-173 could not withdraw her candidature from NA-125 on Saturday last. The RO allotted her election symbol ‘pencil’ as independent candidate. Waheed Alam Khan who had submitted PML-N ticket to the returning officer was allotted ‘lion symbol’.

A representative of Maryam submitted her declaration before the returning officer that she had retired from NA-125.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2018