GUJRAT: The senior PPP leader and adviser to prime minister, Qamar Zaman Kaira, and his cousin Nadeem Asghar Kaira may not contest the bypolls in NA-70 (Lalamusa-Dinga) as the seat had vacated due to the acceptance of the resignation of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MNA Syed Faizul Hassan Shah.

As per the schedule announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the nomination papers can be filed between Feb 10 and 14 whereas the polling will be held on March 19.

Family sources said Qamar and Nadeem [two times former Kharian tehsil nazim] were not interested in the upcoming bypolls; however, Mr Kaira would contest the next general elections.

Nadeem Asghar Kaira told Dawn that neither he nor Qamar Kaira would contest the byelection as the polls would be of a very short term.

However, he said consultation on the next course of action had been underway within the party and family as whatever directions the party issued, would be implemented.

Asked if their party or group would support the PML-N candidate in the bypolls, Mr Kaira said he could not say anything in this regard as only the party policy would clarify the situation.

Earlier, reports were rife that efforts were underway to pitch Qamar Kaira as a joint candidate of PPP and PML-N; however, sources in Gujrat PML-N said the party leadership was not agreed to the proposal and now it would rely on its own former ticket holder who was a runner-up in the constituency.

On the other hand, former state minister Chaudhry Jaafar Iqbal Fatta Bhand of the PML-N has been flexing muscles to contest the bypolls from his party as he was runner-up in the 2018 general elections and won polls in 2013.

Talking to this correspondent, Jaafar Iqbal said: “I am busy in preparations to file the nomination papers and fully ready to contest the bypolls as the party policy will be followed.”

Gujrat PTI district president ex-MPA Saleem Sarwar Jaura said ex-MNA Faizul Hassan Shah would again be the party aspirant in the bypolls.

Gujrat Jamaat-i-Islamic district Emir Ansar Mehmood Dhool said the consultation on contesting the bypolls was underway within the party as Abdul Sattar of Pir Jhand would be the candidate if the party decided to be part of the electoral activity.

The Gujrat PML-N chapter has also convened a meeting of former ticket holders and lawmakers on Feb 11 in Ajnala to discuss the strategy for the upcoming bypolls in NA-70

The Kairas of PPP and Kulewal family of the PTI have been the traditional rivals in this constituency as Kairas and Syeds bagged the seat for four times each as Qamar Kaira won the seat in 2002 and 2008 consecutively but stood third in the race in 2013 and 2018.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2023