GUJRAT: In a major breakthrough, the ruling PML-N has managed to muster support of disgruntled former MNA Dr Nisar Cheema and his brother Zulfiqar Cheema, a retired IGP, for NA-66, Wazirabad, by-election.

The ballot is scheduled for Sept 18.

The seat fell vacant after the Election Commission of Pakistan de-seated Punjab PTI President MNA Ahmed Chattha in the wake of his conviction in May 9 riots.

In the upcoming by-poll, the PML-N did not award ticket to its last two-time aspirant Dr Nisar Cheema, who won the seat in 2018 and lost in February 2024 as a runner-up.

The party announced ex-MPA Bilal Farooq Tarar, the brother of federal minister for information Attaullah Tarar, as its candidate in the Wazirabad by-poll.

Following the nomination of the PML-N candidate, the Cheema group got annoyed as earlier Nisar Cheema’s elder brother Justice retired Iftikhar Cheema had won the seat thrice as PML-N candidate.

However, on Friday the PML-N president and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif held a meeting with Dr Nisar Cheema and Zulfiqar Cheema at his residence in Murree where Punjab PML-N President Rana Sanaullah, former federal minister Khurram Dastgir Khan, ex-MNA Mudassar Qayyum and party’s Gujranwala division president former MNA Abid Raza Kotla and others were also present.

Participants in the meeting apprised Nawaz of the political situation in Gujranwala region, particularly the party’s campaign for the by-poll.

The party chief reportedly promised to address their concerns.

Gujranwala division PML-N President Abid Raza told Dawn that the meeting was ‘very successful’ as the Cheema brothers had later called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad where they announced a complete support to the PML-N candidate.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Rana Sanaullah were also present in the meeting in the PM office, Mr Raza said.

Sources said the Cheemas had been feeling ignored by the PML-N leadership since the February 2024 election and lack of coordination between them and the leadership had created a distance due to which the party opted to change its candidate.

The Cheema clan is said to have an edge in terms of population over the Chattha clan in Wazirabad that’s why most of the times the seat was won by representatives of this clan.

The PTI is yet to announce its candidate since it is not clear to contest the vote.

Sources said a member of senior politician Hamid Nasir Chattha’s family might contest the by-poll if the party opted to contest the election.

Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2025