MUZAFFARGARH, Dec 6: Earlier, Muzaffargarh hit the headlines for candidate refusing tickets of the Pakistan Muslim League. Now, it is the turn of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). On Thursday, PPP’s nominee from NA-178 Farooq Azam withdrew his candidature from NA-178. Mr Azam is brother of jailed Shahid Jameel Qureshi, former PML-Q MNA and state minister. He is facing trial in the murder of Kafila Siddiqi, a Canadian national.

Dawn learnt that he refused to contest the election because of his personal reasons as his wife was ill, who is living in Canada. By the filing of report, he had left for Canada. This is the sixth incident of refusing of poll ticket in Muzaffargarh within two weeks.

There are 227 candidates for five NA seats and eleven PP seats who have submitted their nomination papers to returning officers.

Mr Azam was preferred for the PPP ticket over former MNA Arbi Khar and Jamshed Dasti, former union council nazim.

Benazir due: PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto will address a public meeting in Muzaffargarh on Dec 31. Malik Mazhar Pahoor, PPP district information secretary, said she would arrive in the city at 10am and would address a big rally and the district bar. Later, she will leave for Multan where she will address a public rally at 2pm. PPP workers and leaders have started working for the meeting which will be held at Faisal Stadium on College Sports Ground.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz workers are also busy in arrangements to accord welcome to PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, who is due here in the last week of Dec. While going to Dera Ghazi Khan, Mr Sharif will stay briefly in the city and address a public gathering here. PML-N hopefuls for NA-178 Rao Waheed Nasir and PP-254 Muhammad Hussain Munna Sheikh have started preparation for the welcome and rally plans. Rao Waheed said the city would accord historic welcome to Mr Sharif.