SIALKOT, June 21: The district nazim’s announcement of union council candidates for the upcoming local bodies polls has been criticized by other PML heavyweights of local political arena, who accuse him of taking a unilateral decision in this regard. District Nazim Mian Naeem Javed’s decision to field his ‘own’ panel of candidates in as many as 108 UCs out of the district’s total 122 urban and rural union councils has been termed disastrous for an already fragmented PML in the area by the party leaders as well as independent observers.

Many members of national and provincial assemblies, besides ministers believe that the step may again spark the political differences among the local leadership of the ruling party.

Sialkot-based provincial minister for labour and human resources Syed Akhtar Hussain Rizvi, minister for industries and investment Muhammad Ajmal Cheema, minister for power Armughan Subhani, Tehsil Nazim Muhammad Akmal Cheema and Chairman Punjab Public Accounts Committee Azeem Noori Ghuman have criticized the nazim for announcing his own list of candidates.

They said Mian Javed should have announced joint PML candidates with the consent of the local party leaders and elected representatives.

They alleged that the district nazim distributed the so-called best performance awards among the UC nazims from the four tehsils of the district according to his personal liking.

The nazim staged the awards ‘drama’ only for gaining political support of the UC nazims for the candidates of his panel ahead of the LB polls, they added.

The PML was still divided in three major groups in the district despite the efforts of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain to reunite the party.

STRIKE: Milkmen again observed strike in Sialkot city and adjoining areas on Tuesday to protest against refusal by shop owners to raise prices.