RAWALPINDI: Interviews of 179 candidates from four districts of Rawalpindi division who have submitted applications to get Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) tickets for the 2024 elections in 13 National Assembly and 26 provincial assembly constituencies will start on Monday (today).

Talking to Dawn, PML-N Divisional President and former MNA Malik Abrar said on the instructions of party supremo Nawaz Sharif, President Shehbaz Sharif, Punjab President Rana Sanaullah Khan and Election Cell Head Senator Ishaq Dar, the divisional committee will conduct interviews for MNAs and MPAs tickets at the residence of former MNA Tahira Aurangzeb in Satellite Town.

“A total of 179 applications have been received for 13 seats of the National Assembly constituencies and 26 seats of the provincial assembly in Rawalpindi Division. The process will continue till November 29,” he said.

He said the party leadership had formed a divisional committee comprising its president, former senator Pervaiz Rasheed, Divisional Secretary General Sohail Lal, former MNA Tahira Aurangzeb, divisional coordinator, district presidents and the secretaries general, who will interview the candidates.

In the first phase, Malik Abrar said the divisional committee will interview candidates on Monday, applying for two National Assembly seats and five provincial assembly tickets from Attock district. He said the party had appointed Mussadaq Malik as coordinator to lead the panel to interview the candidates, while Attock district president and general secretary will be members of the committee. He said all applicants had been asked to gather at Tahira Aurangzeb’s house in the evening.

On Tuesday morning at 11am, Chakwal District Coordinator Sheikh Aftab, along with the district president and secretary general, will conduct interviews for two seats of the National Assembly and four seats of the Punjab Assembly in Chakwal.

He said on the same day in the evening, interviews would be conducted for two seats of the National Assembly and three seats of the Punjab Assembly. For this, Jhelum District Coordinator Saba Sadiq, along with district president and secretary general will lead the committee.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the divisional committee will interview the candidates from Rawalpindi district, and Atta Tarar has been appointed as the coordinator. He said in Rawalpindi district, there were seven seats of the National Assembly and 14 seats of the Punjab assembly. Malik Abrar Ahmed said after this, the divisional committee would send its recommendations to Provincial President Rana Sanaullah Khan, and he would forward them to the Election Cell led by Senator Ishaq Dar for final approval.

However, many candidates from Rawalpindi city were unaware of the interviews and said they had submitted their applications but had not received interview letters yet. “For Rawalpindi’s seven NA seats and 14 provincial assembly seats, more than five candidates applied from within the party, but the decision will be taken by the party leadership, not the divisional committee,” a senior party leader said.

He said in the city area, the party was divided into two groups, including Hanif Abbasi and Sajjad Khan, while at the provincial level, former MNA Malik Shakil Awan and former MPA Ziaullah Shah had thrown their hats in the ring.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2023