OKARA, Feb 3: Defence Minister Rao Sikander Iqbal has not only succeeded in getting some development projects for Okara but also paved way for the district Nazim office for his younger brother by arranging President Pervez Musharraf's visit here on Saturday last.

Since the district Nazim office has become powerful in the new local government system, the defence minister is keeping an eye on this coveted spot for his younger brother Maj Rao Zafar Iqbal (retired).

Although a seasoned politician, Rao Sikander Iqbal has no solid political group that can help his brother become the district nazim. In any case, President Pervez Musharraf responded positively when he accepted the invitation of Rao Sikander Iqbal to visit Okara which the latter has been vying for the last three months.

The president's visit would certainly give some boast to the election campaign of Rao Zafar in the forthcoming local bodies polls. The defence minister succeeded in pleasing President Pervez Musharraf by gathering thousands of people in Okara.

Meanwhile, there are two other main political rival groups in the district the Taamir-i-Watan group led by former Punjab chief minister Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo and the Shah Muqeem group led by former PML MPA Syed Afzaal Ali Shah Gilani. The Taamir-i-Watan group has political worth in Deepalpur tehsil and some influential political figures also back it in Okara and Renala tehsils as well.

While the group of Syed Afzaal Ali Shah, the father of provincial housing minister Syed Raza Ali Gilani, enjoys the backing of former MPA Malik Muhammad Abbas Khokhar, MPA Malik Nazar Farid Khokhar, MNA and federal parliamentary secretary Rao Muhammad Ajmal Khan and former district council chairman Mian Muhammad Moeen Khan Wattoo advocate.

A few days back, the Punjab government issued a notification with regard to the formation of a new tehsil of Haveli Lakkha annexing with it Basirpur town and its 90 villages against the wishes of the people.

It seems that the Punjab CM wants to please his PML ally Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo by creating fourth tehsil of the Okara district. This would provide an opportunity to Mian Manzoor Wattoo to get his candidate elected as the tehsil Nazim of Haveli Lakkha.

The situation has become more conducive to the candidate of Mian Manzoor Wattoo after his reconciliation with his old rival Mian Muhammad Moeen Khan Wattoo. Now Mian Moeen Wattoo has reportedly agreed to contest for the MPA seat with the backing of the Manzoor Wattoo group.

Punjab chief minister Pervaiz Elahi has reportedly given a green signal to District Nazim Syed Sajjad Haider to defend his seat during the forthcoming local bodies election.

While the Shah Muqeem group led by Syed Afzaal Ali Shah Gilani has declared to contest the District Nazim election with might and main. Although nothing is clear, getting the District Nazim seat for his younger brother will not be an easy task for the defence minister.