SARGODHA, Sept 1: The PML-QA, PML-N and the PPP leaders are still racking their brains to finalize candidates for NA-66, Sargodha-III.

Reports said the local PPP leadership had allotted ticket to ex-tehsil Nazim Tasneem Ahmad Qureshi as he had recently joined the party with Naib Nazim Mirza Illyas Beg.

Interestingly, the PPP high command through an e-mail informed the local leaders to gave priority to Malik Azizul Haq for the constituency. However, the party’s ‘blue-eyed’ was disqualified owing to eligibility bar while his covering candidate Malik Shoaib Awan could not file his nomination papers for NA-66.

The local leaders confirmed the ticket to Tasneem Qureshi whom they had promised to give ticket. Once again the party leaders received an e-mail in which Benazir Bhutto had directed them to confirm ticket to District Bar Association President Rao Abdul Ghaffar.

The party was thinking to give preference to Malik Shoaib for PP-33 and Raja Imran Rasheed had been allowed to contest from PP-44. But a spokesman said the party had allotted tickets to Tasneem Ahmad Qureshi for NA-66, Afzal Mirza for PP-33 and Dr Nadia Aziz for PP-34.

The ambiguity developed owing to the alleged negligence of Safdar Abbasi who failed to communicate the local leaders’ messages to the high-ups.

Similarly, the PML-N faces hard times in finalizing its candidate for the constituency. Chaudhry Hamid Hameed claimed to be the ticket holder, but, he is reportedly facing opposition of some members of the party’s parliamentary board which gave approval of Haji Muhammad Aslam Katchela, who has recently joined the party.

From PML-QA, some of its candidates were vying for party ticket. Ex-Mayor Anwar Khursheed had introduced Shahid Nazir, who has also the support of Arain family, for this constituency. Ex-Nazim Asif Khan is also an aspirant and he is backed by some Nazimeen.

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