GUJRAT: The Samman group of the PTI has announced support for Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in NA-69 and PP-30, a constituency where it had previously opposed the Chaudhrys.

Chaudhry Iftikhar Ahmed Samman, a PTI candidate for PP-110 (now PP-30), had secured around 17,000 votes against Chaudhry Moonis Elahi of the PML-Q in 2013, on Wednesday announced that he would support Pervaiz Elahi.

The announcement came at Samman House where Chaudhry Moonis Elahi and a number of supporters of the PTI were also present.

Mr Samman, who had been the aspirant for the PTI ticket for PP-30 but could not get it due to the seat adjustment with the PML-Q, said he had reservations over his party’s decision but he in consultation with the local party workers had decided to abide by PTI chairman Imran Khan’s decision to support the PML-Q in Gujrat.

In the 2008 general election Iftikhar Samman’s cousin Nasir Samman had contested as a PPP candidate from the then PP-110 and secured around 37,000 votes against Moonis Elahi who had won that seat.

Samman family’s Chaudhry Anwar Samman of the PPP had defeated Chaudhry Tajamal Hussain (late), the cousin of Chaudhry Shujaat and Pervaiz Elahi in 1970 and Anwar Samman was made the provincial minister for revenue in the then Punjab government. Anwar was assassinated in a courtroom while being a minister by a close kin in 1973 over a feud.

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2018