BAHAWALPUR: The Ithehad group led by federal minister Tariq Bashir Cheema (PML-Q) almost swept the Bahawalpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) annual election except a solitary seat going to Founders headed by former PTI minister Samiullah Chaudhury here on Saturday night.

The Ithehad group won all the six seats of corporate class in a close contest. Its nominees Malik Ijaz Nazim, Ishtiaq Basra, Ahmad Jabbar, Muhammad Shafi Anjum, Majid Khan Cheema and Muneab Malik were elected members while Founders could not bag any seat from this class.

However, in the election for six seats reserved for associate class, seat bagged by of Malik Faraz Ahmed went to the Founders through a toss while the remaining five seats of Mansoor Ahmed, Umar Farooq, Abdul Hayee, Irfan Shaukat and Ghulam Fareed were won by Ithehad group. Malik Faraz Ahmed and Rashid Akram polled equal 296 votes each and the decision was taken through toss.

Now, the elected 12 members of both corporate and associate classes will elect BCCI president in accordance with the election schedule to be announced soon.

PML-N’s former minister Baleeghur Rehman’s close confident and former PML-N candidate for Punjab Assembly Dr Rana Muhammad Tariq supported Traiq Cheema group and opposed the Founders leaders PML-N’s former senator Saood Majid Chaudhury and his brother Mahmood Majid Chaudhury in the BCCI election while PTI former minister and sitting MPA Samiullah Ch. supported the Saood Majid group.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2020