TOBA TEK SINGH: Former governor and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Senator Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar has managed to win some ‘disgruntled’ leaders over in joint National Assembly constituency of Kamalia and Pirmahal tehsils (NA-113) and its two provincial seats (PP-122 and 123) due to which the position of PTI ticket holders Riaz Fatyana (NA-113), Begum Ashfa Fatyana (PP-122) and Sonia Ali Raza (PP-123) has strengthened.

Sarwar has been making efforts for the last few days to persuade some ‘disgruntled’ PTI leaders [to withdraw] who have been contesting as independent candidates against PTI ticket holders.

On Monday, his efforts finally turned fruitful as former PPP’s federal information minister (late) Khalid Ahmad Kharal’s son Haider Khan Kharal announced withdrawal of his candidature from NA-113 in favour of PTI’s Riaz Fatyana. Chaudhry Sarwar, PTI’s central vice president and PTI ticket holder Chaudhry Muhammad Ashfaq (NA-112) were also present at the Kharal house on the occasion.

Haider Kharal was awarded PTI ticket but when decisions were revised by party chief Imran Khan and senior leaders, he was stripped of ticket and replaced with Riaz Fatyana. Haider turned angry [over the withdrawal of his ticket] and he announced contesting election against Riaz Fatyana as an independent candidate.

For PP-122, ticket was also withdrawn from Murtaza Khan Kharal and he was replaced with Begum Ashfa Fatyana. Murtaza Kharal [too] was campaigning along with Haider Kharal independently against PTI ticket holder Begum Ashfa Fatyana.

In the same press conference held at Kharal house on Monday, Murtaza Kharal also announced withdrawal of his candidature in favour of Begum Ashfa.

It merits mentioning that Haider Kharal is the cousin (mothers of both are sisters) of PPP leader and nominee from a Jhang NA seat, Faisal Saleh Hayat.

On Sept 22, 2017, PPP chairperson Asif Ali Zardari and Faisal Saleh Hayat had visited the Kharal house in Kamalia to condole death of Haider Kharal’s father Khalid Ahmad Kharal although Haider was in PTI [then].

However, Haider Kharal stood firm with PTI so he was awarded PTI ticket on the recommendations of Chaudhry Sarwar and PTI’s central VP Chaudhry Muhammad Ashfaq.

Observers are of the view [that] had Haider Kharal and Murtaza Kharal contested as independent candidates they would have dented the vote bank of PTI and might cause defeat of Riaz Fatyana and his wife Begum Ashfa Fatyana from NA-113 and PP-122, respectively.

Haider Kharal had contested the 2008 election from NA-113 (old NA-94) on PPP platform and was runner-up by scoring 59,348 votes. In 2013, he did not contest the seat and had supported PML-N former MNA Chaudhry Asadur Rehman Ramday who had made it to the national assembly.

In another development at Pirmahal, independent candidate for PP-123 Rana Muhammad Shafique (a former Pakistan hockey player) honoured the request of Chaudhry Sarwar, who met him at his residence on Monday. Rana Shafique announced withdrawal of his candidature in favour of PTI ticket holder Sonia Ali Raza (PP-123). Rana Shafique was considered to be a strong [independent] candidate who had polled 26,641 votes in the 2013 polls on PPP ticket.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2018