TOBA TEK SINGH, Dec 27: A group in the ruling party opposed to District Nazim Chaudhry Muhammad Ashfaq is getting hold of key offices in the district.

During the last general elections, the District Nazim group consisted of Chaudhry Muhammad Ashiq himself, his nephew and MNA Mian Farhan Latif, MPA Dr Ashfaqur Rehman, now the Punjab forest minister, MPA Brig Javed Akram (retired), now provincial parliamentary secretary, and MPA Liaquat Ali Shaukat.

Differences occurred between the District Nazim and Dr Ashfaqur Rehman and he (Dr Ashfaq) joined hands with the old opponents of the District Nazim, MNA Chaudhry Amjad Ali Warraich of Gojra, MPA Chaudhry Bilal Asghar, MNA Riaz Fatyana of Kamalia and MPA Begum Ashfa Riaz Fatyana, Punjab women development minister.

MPA Liaquat Ali Shaukat also started attending meetings of Dr Ashfaqur Rehman after differences with the District Nazim. This opponent group also made relations with former Punjab minister Makhdoom Ali Raza, father of PPP MPA from Sindhilianwali Makhdoom Hussain Raza.

This strong group has now succeeded in getting some key offices in the district, including chairmanship of the District Baitul Maal Committee (advocate Nasir Iqbal of Dr Ashfaqur Rehman group), District Zakat Committee chairmanship (advocate Mehr Muhammad Iqbal Hamjana of the Makhdoom Ali Raza group), Gojra Market Committee chairmanship (Rana Tariq Iqbal of the Chaudhry Amjad Warraich group).

Conflict over the re-appointment of Toba market committee chairman Tahir Pervez Anjum is running these days between the District Nazim and Dr Ashfaq. The District Nazim wants the re-appointed of Anjum while Dr Ashfaq is willing to get his uncle Chaudhry Abdul Majeed Kahloon appointed as chairman.

A source disclosed that the District Nazim had recently met Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi in this regard, but the position of Dr Ashfaq is much strong as he is a close relative of Tariq Aziz, the National Security Council secretary. The District Nazim is also in contact with his family friend, Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool.