GUJRAT: The Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q), an important ally of the ruling PTI in Punjab and federal government, has recently managed to get the support of a number of former lawmakers and politically influential families through creating a hype of local elections in its stronghold areas as well as other parts of Punjab.

The party initially aimed at consolidating its position through nominating its candidates for the slot of tehsil nazims as well as chairmen for some municipalities in various rural and urban parts of its stronghold Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Chakwal, Daska (Sialkot) and Bahawalpur districts where it had clinched some seats of Punjab and National Assemblies in the last general election.

However, such technique was later on expanded to other parts of Punjab where the party was also joined by some political figures in Sargodha, Hafizabad, Faisalabad, Multan, Toba Tek Singh, Gujranwala, Khanewal, Jhang and other districts.

For instance, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi had announced Tanzeela Aamir Cheema, the spouse of PTI MNA Aamir Sultan Cheema, as his party’s candidate from Sargodha in local elections. The group of former federal minister Liaquat Abbas Bhatti, the uncle of PTI MNA Shaukat Bhatti and brother of ex-MNA Mehdi Bhatti, had joined the PML-Q from Hafizabad, former PML N MNA Haneef Awan’s group has formed an alliance with the PML-Q in the local elections of Sara-i-Alamgir and Kharian tehsils of Gujrat, ex federal minister Shahid Akram Bhinder joined from Gujranwala, former federal minister Mushtaq Cheema from Faisalabad, ex-MPAs from Samundri (Faisalabad) Arif Gill and Mazhar Gill joined and some former tehsil nazims also joined the party to contest local elections.

The momentum has been created through mobilisation of local rank and file on the pretext of preparations for the upcoming local elections and it paid dividend, says an analyst. He said the party’s plan to consolidate its position through victory in the upcoming local elections, could further help it in enhancing its numerical strength in the Punjab and National assemblies in the next general elections.

MNA Chaudhry Moonis Elahi said his party had announced more than a dozen candidates of tehsil nazims in Punjab and more such nominations were likely to be made after the consultation in the coming days. Efforts were being made, he said, to stretch the party footing in various parts of Punjab where the party leader had served as chief minister for five years and left the footprints of its best performance.

Asked how his party could gain success in the local elections in the areas where it had nominated the candidates in the presence of senior ruling partner PTI’s candidates, he said the PML-Q had announced the best candidates having a sizeable number of votes and support in their respective areas.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2020