GUJRAT: The PML-N has finally decided to field ex-MPA Haji Imran Zafar as its candidate for the by-poll to be held on October 14 in NA-69 (Gujrat), the seat vacated by Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi to retain PP-30.

Chaudhry Moonis Elahi will be joint candidate of the PML-Q and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf for the seat. Moonis filed his nomination papers with the returning officer on Wednesday, flanked by a large number of union council chairmen and party workers.

The PML-N had been in a fix over choosing a candidate for the by-poll after ex-MNA Chaudhry Mubashar Hussain, who had twice lost this seat (in 2013 and 2018) to Pervaiz Elahi, declined to be the party candidate.

However, sources in the PML-N say that senior party leader Hamza Shahbaz held two consultative meetings with the local leaders for selecting a candidate for the by-poll during the last two days. Finally, the party decided to pitch two times ex-MPA Imran Zafar, a nephew of Gujrat Municipal Corporation Mayor Haji Nasir Mehmood, in the by-poll.

The sources said a disgruntled PML-N group from Gujrat city, being led by Aurangzaib Butt who had contested from PP-31 (Gujrat city) constituency as an independent candidate and secured some 14,000 votes, had also been approached by Mr Hamza. They added that in this connection, a meeting between Mr Hamza and Mr Butt was also held in Lahore the other day where it was decided that the Butt group would support the PML-N nominee for the by-poll.

Confirming that he had been nominated by PML-N for the by-poll, Mr Zafar said he would submit his nomination papers with the RO on Thursday (today) which was the last day for submission of the papers.

Afzal Gondal, a disgruntled PTI leader who had been the party candidate for then NA-105 (now NA-69) in 2013, also filed his nomination papers on Wednesday for the by-poll. His son Zeeshan Afzal has submitted his nomination papers as covering candidate for his father.

Mr Gondal had led a protest demonstration of local party workers at Banni Gala residence of PTI chairman Imran Khan against the party’s seat adjustment with the PML-Q in Gujrat. Though, he had to withdraw his nomination papers for the July 25 polls, he did not actively support the joint candidate to show his annoyance over the party decision.

Gujrat district election commissioner Imran Zafar, who is also RO for the by-poll, said so far six candidates -- Moonis Elahi, Ahmed Farhan Khan, Zaigham Abbas, Raja Salamat Ali, Afzal Gondal and Zeeshan Afzal -- had filed their nomination papers.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2018