GUJRAT, Aug 9: Several heavyweights of the PML and the PPP are flexing their muscles to get a ticket for the slot of Kharian tehsil nazim. Nadeem Asghar Kaira, a son of former PPP MNA the late Haji Asghar Kaira, was elected the first Kharian tehsil nazim in 2001 by defeating former minister Mian Tariq of Dinga. Kaira had formed an alliance with Dr Javed Riaz, then affiliated with the Jamaat-i-Islami, to lure votes and made him tehsil naib nazim.

At that time, the Kairas were being supported by Naeem Raza of Kotla Arab Ali Khan, Rahman Naseer (a grandson of former president Chaudhry Fazal Elahi) of Marala and former caretaker chief minister Afzal Hayat of Kolian Shah Husain.

The Kairas had to face the first shock before October 2002 general elections when Afzal Hayat joined the ruling PML. His younger brother, Akhtar Hayat, is Rawalpindi DIG whose son-in-law is Nadeem Asghar Kaira.

The PML had given a ticket for NA-106 to Afzal Hayat in 2002 elections, but he lost the seat and Qamar Zaman Kaira was elected MNA. In these elections, Nadeem Kaira had canvassed for his family and group with a full enthusiasm. As a result, his cousin Qamar Zaman Kaira and close aide Rahman Naseer Marala were elected MNAs while other aides, including Tanvir Ashraf Kaira and Amir Usman Adil, were elected MPAs.

The Kairas had to face the major setback when MNA Rahman Naseer Marala, MPA Amir Usman and tehsil naib nazim Dr Javed Riaz joined the ruling party. Later, the Chaudhrys of Gujrat made Naeem Raza adviser to the chief minister.

The former tehsil nazim is in jail nowadays in a corruption case.

Sources in both parties claim that several stalwarts are in the run to get a ticket for the tehsil nazim. Naeem Raza wants to get a ticket for himself or his brother, Shahid Raza. Former ministers Mian Tariq Mahmood and Chaudhry Ejaz Ahmad, former district naib nazim Syed Noorul Hasan Shah and former union council nazim Chaudhry Tauqeer Akram Kaira of the PPP, who is a cousin of MPA Tanvir Ashraf Kaira, are also interested to get a ticket.

Tauqeer Kaira has good relations with Asif Ali Zardari, and it is heard among different circles that Zardari had given him a green signal during their meeting in Dubai. However, Tauqeer’s close friends quoted him as saying that Nadeem Asghar Kaira is the most suitable candidate for the slot. As Nadeem Kaira is in jail, his family is trying to get a ticket for his younger brother, Zaheer Kaira, or any other family member.

The political pundits believe that Syed Noorul Hasan Shah of the ruling party is the most suitable candidate for the slot. They suggest if he is allotted a ticket by the Chaudhrys, he will definitely win the post.