GUJRAT: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) is facing a daunting task of finding a suitable candidate for PP-51 Wazirabad that was vacated due to the death of PML-N MPA Shaukat Manzoor Cheema a couple of months ago.

Though the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is yet to announce the schedule for the by-poll in the constituency, the mainstream parties have started flexing muscles to run for the seat, a stronghold of the PML-N that had clinched the seat during the last three elections.

The PTI, despite being in power in Punjab and the Centre, has been in deep trouble to even put up a good fight on the seat and sources say that Ahmed Chatha, the son of former National Assembly speaker Hamid Nasir Chatha, is being considered as a candidate for the seat by the ruling party.

However, the Chatha family is said to be reluctant in contesting the by-poll on a tough seat and its close aides say that losing the by-election might further put their future politics on the National Assembly seat at stake.

Ahmed Chatha has so far faced the defeat on Wazirabad NA seat for three times, that too as a PTI nominee, at the hands of PML-N candidates. The Wazirabad city has always been a tough station for the Chatha family at the NA level in all the past general elections as it would concede defeat against the rivals. However, it is usually strong in the areas falling in another PA seat, adjacent to Wazirabad city constituency.

A reliable source says that Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has been taking keen interest in selecting a candidate who could win the Wazirabad seat for the PTI, which could strengthen his position before the party leadership.

It is usually observed in by-polls in Punjab that the ruling party has always an edge over the opposition parties but the analysts opine that the PML-N is in a strong position on the Wazirabad seat. The current critical situation inflation, poor governance as well as the internal rifts within the ruling party have further weakened the party’s position among the masses.

On the other hand, the PML N too is in trouble for selection of the candidate for the by-poll due to having too many choices available for the seat as most of the electables are busy lobbying to get the ticket of the party.

The deceased Shaukat Cheema’s widow or his brother Khalid Manzoor Cheema are said to be the front runners for the PML-N ticket as the party often prefers any of the family members of its deceased lawmakers as a candidate for the by-poll.

It is learnt that Adnan Sarwar Cheema, the son of former defence minister retired Col Ghulam Sarwar Cheema, Imtiaz Ahmed Bagri, who had contested as an independent candidate in the last elections and bagged around 15,000 votes, Mustansar Gondal, retired Brigadier Baber Alauddin and others are also in the run for the PML-N ticket.

Shabeer Akram Cheema, the runners-up on that seat as a PTI nominee in the last two elections, has also been among the potential candidates of the ruling party in the by-poll besides Waqar Kalair and Mustansar Sahi of the party.

The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) has decided to field Nasir Kalair.

Punjab PPP vice president Ijaz Ahmed Samman, who had won Wazirabad city PA seat in 2002 election and has been the senior most among the potential aspirants on the seat, is once again ready to contest the by-polls.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2020