SAHIWAL: Although the PML-N has finalised its candidates for two NA and five PA seats in Sahiwal, still NA-143, PP-203, and PP-204 candidates have yet to be decided.

Sources say the PML-N has agreed to award a ticket to Nauman Langriyal under seat adjustment with the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) for NA-143, but this has yet to be announced officially. Reports suggest Mr Langriyal wants tickets for his men for two provincial assembly constituencies under his area.

For this, the PML-N will have to ignore both Chaudhary Zahid and Tufail Jutt and Hanif Jutt of Chichawatni, who have won these seats on PML-N tickets in the previous election. Mr Zahid also remained district nazin in the 2012 tenure.

In Sahiwal tehsil, the PML-N has repeated its thrice and twice winner candidates - Pir Imran Shah, Chaudhry Ashraf, Pir Walayat Shah Khagga, and Malik Arshad for NA-141, NA-142, PP-198, and PP-200.

Malik Nadeem Kamran, who became MPA in the 2008, 2013, and 2018 elections, has been given party ticket for his son Qasim Nadeem for PP-199 because of his health problems. In the same manner, the party awarded the ticket to Naveed Aslem Lodhi for PP-201, who is the son-in-law of Arshad Khan Lodhi from Harrpa. Ayesha Lodhi, the daughter of Arshad Lodhi, was denied ticket for NA-142.

The PML-N denied the ticket to Nouraz Shakoor, who sought the ticket under seat adjustment from IPP for NA-141. Pir Imran, a thrice winner, retained his ticket for the fourth time.

Also, nomination papers of Rai Hasan Nawaz, Rai Murtaza Iqbal, Rai Muhammad Iqbal, and Major Sarwar have been accepted by the election appellant tribunal, and they are all PTI candidates in Chichawatni. The Rais will contest for NA-142, NA-143, and PP-201 and PP-202.

In Pakpattan, Ahmed Raza Manika, Sardar Mansib Ali Dogar, Rana Iradat Ali Doger, Kashif Ali Chishti, and Dr Farukkh Javed have been given PML-N tickets for NA-139, PP-197, NA-140, PP-195, and PP-196, respectively.

Ahmed Raza Manika has not been finalized for PP-197 and PP-198 because Hayat Manika, the son-in-law of Bushra Bibi, had also applied for PML-N ticket.

Last week, Ata Manika, senior Parliamentarian and father of Hayat Manik, met with PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and demanded a PML-N ticket either for himself or his son. Both have applied as candidates, and their nomination papers have been accepted.

Chaudhry Naeem Ibrahim, a PTI candidate, has had his nomination paper accepted from PP-196. Interestingly, he is behind bars under corruption cases filed by ACE, Sahiwal region.

Published in Dawn, January 12th, 2024