GUJRAT, Aug 29: Electioneering for the slots of Gujrat district Naib Nazim and tehsil Nazim is gaining momentum with each passing day.

The post of district Naib Nazim has been lying vacant since the Oct 10 polls when Syed Noorul Hasan Shah of the PML-Q resigned to contest the general election from NA-107. Similarly, the seat of Gujrat tehsil Nazim has been vacant since the death of Tehsil Nazim Chaudhry Ghulam Sarwar Bhooch of the PML-Q a few months ago.

Representatives of all 117 union councils of the district would elect the district Naib Nazim while representatives of 65 union councils of Gujrat tehsil would elect the tehsil Nazim.

The PML(Q)-Shujaat has pitched Mian Arshad Hayat, younger brother of the former acting chief minister Mian Afzal Hayat, for the slot of district Naib Nazim.

The PPP, the PML-N and the MMA have given ticket to Chaudhry Irfan Safi for the office of Naib Nazim, who is a close relative of PML-Q MPA Amir Usman and the provincial president of Shabab-i-Milli.

Seven candidates are in the run for the seat of Gujrat tehsil Nazim. The PML-Q has pitched Chaudhry Saadat Nawaz Ajnala, son of former MPA Chaudhry Nawaz Ajnala, whose opponent is former MNA Nawabzada Ghazanfar Gul of the PPP. The Nawabzada lost the general election in NA-104 to PML-Q candidate Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain.

Prominent PPP politicians like Kharian Tehsil Nazim Nadeem Asghar Kaira, MNA Qamar Zaman Kaira, MPA Tanvir Ashraf Kaira, Nazim Tauqeer Akram Kaira, opposition leader in the district council Nawabzada Tahirul Mulk, former MPA Mian Mushtaq Pagganwala and former MPA Nawabzada Muzaffar Ali Khan are running the campaign of Nawabzada Ghazanfar Gul. District Nazim Chaudhry Shafaat Hussain, MNAs Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain and Rahman Naseer Marala, MPAs Chaudhry Abdullah Yousaf, Amir Usman, Khalid Asghar Ghurral, Maria Tariq and Chaudhry Arshad of the PML-Q and tehsil Naib Nazim Mian Haroon Masood are canvassing for Chaudhry Saadat Nawaz.

According to political pundits, a close contest is expected between Saadat Nawaz and Ghazanfar Gul for the election of tehsil Nazim on Sept 8. However, some analysts believe that PML-Q candidate Saadat Nawaz seems to be in a better position because his own party has governments at central, provincial and district levels. Irfan Safi, the joint candidate of MMA, PPP and PML-N for the post of district Naib Nazim is looking weak against PML-Q nominee Mian Arshad Hayat who has the backing of some PML-Q bigwigs. According to some analysts, the candidates of Shujaat Group are likely to sweep the elections for the slots of district Naib Nazim and Gujrat tehsil Nazim.

shot dead: Two persons were shot dead in and around the city during the last 24 hours.

Reportedly, Hasnain of Saria village had gone to Kotla Arab Ali Khan for some work when unidentified car riders kidnapped him at gunpoint.

They took him to a nearby forest of Thootha Rai Bahadur whey they shot him dead. The motive behind the killing could not be confirmed immediately as family informed police that they had no enmity.

Kakrali police sent the body to mortuary for autopsy. No case was registered till the filling of this report in the evening.

In the second incident which took place in Tala village of Lalamusa, Qaiser shot dead his uncle Sadiq over a minor dispute. Lalamusa Sadar police registered a case and arrested the accused.