SIALKOT, Oct 8: Ruling PML candidate Muhammad Akmal Cheema’s election as Sialkot district nazim has paved the way for the business community to prosper. A leading exporter, Akmal Cheema is the younger brother of Punjab Industries Minister Muhammad Ajmal Cheema and a close relative of Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi.

The business community has particularly welcomed the election of Mr Cheema as district nazim and PML-N Imtiazuddin Dar’s victory to become Sialkot tehsil nazim. Imtiaz Dar is also leather exporter from Sialkot.

The businessmen say the election of men from their profession has encouraged the exporters to step in the political arena. “Good exporters can be good politicians,” they remark.

On the other hand, as some results of the Oct 6 polls remained unexpected, many bigwigs have started making strategies for their survival on the political front.

The influential Variyo family has already been thrown out of the arena, The defeats of ARD-backed candidate Mian Naeem Javed and PPP’s Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas have put their political future at stake.

Also trying to turn over a new leaf are the elders of Sialkot tehsil nazim candidate Sheikh Ejaz Ahmad, a former provincial minister, and ruling PML’s Mehr Muhammad Arshad. Both have faced defeats in the election.

In Daska tehsil, ruling PML-backed candidate for tehsil nazim Ejaz Ahmad Cheema, who is considered to be the right hand of the Gujrat politicians, is also striving for his political survival after being knocked out by ARD-backed Nasir Mehmood Cheema advocate. The result was tagged as a major upset.

As for Shakargarh tehsil (Narowal), Chaudhry Tariq Anees — supported by the PML — was elected tehsil nazim by knocking out former federal minister Anwar Aziz, the father of NRB chairman Daniyal Aziz.

According to political analysts, Anwar Aziz’s future in politics is uncertain after the defeat.

ROBBERY: Four robbers stormed into Javed Shah’s trading agency in the Sialkot city’s congested Khadim Ali Road and took away Rs132,000 in cash and five cell phones worth Rs80,000.