LAHORE, Sept 29: Pakistan Muslim League-Ziaul Haq President Ijazul Haq’s effort to win back the Sharifs’ confidence appears to be bearing fruit as the Punjab government has reportedly released development funds for his constituency in Bahawalnagar district.

The Shahbaz government’s gesture shows Mr Haq, who was religious affairs minister in the Gen Musharraf cabinet, may be a PML-N candidate for NA-191 in the coming elections.

Haq, the son of Gen Zia, had launched efforts to bring all factions of the Muslim League under one umbrella since the Sharifs returned from Jeddah after a seven-year exile, but they (the Sharifs) did not take him seriously. As the PML-N does not have a strong candidate to field in NA-191 constituency, Mian Nawaz Sharif may ‘pardon’ Haq and award him the ticket.

Punjab PPP deputy parliamentarian Shaukat Basra who is from the provincial constituency of Bahawalnagar has questioned Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for giving funds to a ‘non-elected’ member. “This is illegal. The Shahbaz government is doling out millions of rupees from the Punjab’s kitty to Ijazul Haq and another non-elected member of the constituency to carry out development works there while it is denying funds to the opposition MPAs,” Basra told Dawn.

He wondered as to how the Sharifs now seemed ready to embrace Ijazul Haq who had joined hands with Gen Musharraf and ditched the PML-N at the critical juncture.

Ijazul Haq, on the other hand, denied directly receiving funds from the Punjab government. “As the PML-Z is in an ally of the PML-N, its MPA has been receiving funds for the development in the constituency,” he said. Interestingly, PML-Z MPA Shahid Anjum does not enjoy good terms with Ijazul Haq and he is likely to join N-league once the interim setup is installed.

Replying to a question about his efforts for alliance of PML factions, Mr Haq said he would accelerate his efforts by taking Pir Pagara on board.

As Ijazul Haq lost the National Assembly seat in 2008 election to PPP’s Afzal Sandhu by a margin of 4,000 votes, the former Q Leaguer is optimistic that he will be the ultimate choice. “Since there is no strong PML-N candidate for the NA seat most probably I will be the candidate of PML-N for NA-191,” Mr Haq said.

Afzal Sandhu has joined the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf and the PPP is also looking for a strong candidate there and it may consider fielding Basra in case it fails to find a suitable candidate.

PML-N Senator Pervaiz Rashid told Dawn that Ijazul Haq was a ‘good candidate’ for NA-191 and the party would certainly consider him before the next general election. Replying to a question about the release of funds for his constituency, Mr Rashid said: “The common man is the beneficiary of the development of Ijazul Haq’s constituency. Besides, the Punjab government is giving funds to the legislators of PML-N and its allies.”