GUJRAT: A former Gujrat district PPP president Mian Fakhar Mushtaq Pagganwala has announced to contest the next general elections from PP-31 as a PPP aspirant.

Flanked by his wife and ex PPP MNA Sameena Pagganwala and other local PPP leaders, Mian Fakhar made the announcement while addressing a news conference at his Pagganwala house here on Monday.

He vowed to launch his election campaign on party’s foundation day on Nov 30.

The Pagganwala family of Gujrat has once been the arch rivals of the Chaudharys of PML-Q in the local politics as both Mian Fakhar and his father Mushtaq Pagganwala.

Fakhar’s father (late) Mushtaq Pagganwala and his uncle Mian Abdul Rahseed Pagganwala had been elected as MNA and MPA in 1977 and 1985, respectively, from Gujrat city whereas he and his father had lost the Gujrat city with a very close margin in 1993 and 2002, respectively, on city’s PA seat.

Sameena Pagganwala was elected as PPP MNA against a reserve seat for women in 2008.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2023