LAHORE, June 17: The Punjab PML-N on Monday invited applications from people, including turncoats, desirous of contesting provincial assembly elections.

The turncoats were asked to first apologize to the party organization under whose jurisdiction their constituencies fall.

Provincial president Zulfikar Khosa and Secretary-General Khwaja Saad Rafiq told a news conference that those who had changed loyalties under government pressure but wanted to rejoin the PML-N would be examined on a case-to-case basis. Final decision on their requests would be taken in consultation with workers of the concerned constituency, they said.

They made it clear that elements who had joined hands with the government only to preserve themselves from action on the basis of their alleged corrupt practices had no room in the party.

Vice-President Inamullah Khan Niazi said that the party was not short of candidates. He said turncoats were supplicating the PML-N that they should be accepted back. Such people, he said, had realized that they would not get any public support from the platform they were operating at present.

Information Secretary Zaeem Husain Qadri believed that on an average more than half a dozen applications per constituency would be received.

Application forms would be available from the provincial headquarters of the party. July 15 was set as the last date for the receipt of applications. Every application must be accompanied by a non-refundable fee of Rs10,000.

All applications would be first examined by divisional parliamentary boards, but final decision would be taken by the provincial board to be constituted soon.

Candidate’s loyalty to the party, his role in the movement for the ouster of the Benazir government and then the post-October 12, 1999, situation would be given importance at the time of decision on his application. Mr Khosa told a reporter that party president Mian Nawaz Sharif would also use his authority in the decision on applications.

He said since there was no case registered against former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, he could return to the country before the elections.

Khwaja Saad said the party would prefer to bring new faces belonging to the middle class to the electoral arena. “We want an end to political monopolies”.

Mr Khosa said PML factions which were extending allout support to the military government could not be cooperated with at any cost. However, cooperation possibility could be discussed with those whose point of view was closer to the PML-N.

He told a questioner that parties led by Prof Sajid Mir and Sahibzada Haji Fazle Karim were allies of the PML-N. He said the party was also in contact with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal for cooperation.