BAHAWALPUR, April 6: Returning Officer Mahar Nasir Husain, additional district and sessions judge, on Saturday accepted nomination papers of arch rivals former district nazim Tariq Cheema and Saud Majid Chaudhry for NA-187 (Bahawalpur-V).

Saud had defeated Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in the 2008 general election from this constituency, a stronghold of Tariq Cheema who had fielded Elahi in his place.

The nominations were accepted after the RO convinced both sides to withdraw objections they had raised against each other.

Cheema appeared in the office himself, while Saud was represented by his nephew Saad Masood Chaudhry. The RO heard arguments of both sides in his private chamber after which they agreed to withdraw their objections. Saud is expected to get a ticket from the PML-N while Cheema, who had been district nazim of Bahawalpur twice and considered a close confidant of the Chaudhrys of Gujrat, is expected to be nominated by the PML-Q.

Meanwhile, in Ahmedpur East, the RO of NA-183 (Bahawalpur-I) accepted nomination papers of stepbrothers Makhdoom Ali Hassan Gilani and Makhdoom Samiul Hassan Gilani. Ali Gilani is a former federal parliamentary secretary and was elected in 2002 on a PML-Q ticket. In 2008, he was disqualified by the RO and he later joined the PML-N, which nominated him as acting district president after the death of MPA Mumtaz Jajja.

Ali is expected to be awarded a ticket by the PML-N leadership. His stepbrother Sami, who is related to former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, is expected to contest as an independent candidate.

The scrutiny of nomination papers of two other candidates of this constituency Nawab Salahuddin Abbasi and former PPP MNA Arif Aziz Sheikh would be carried out on Sunday (today).

WHEAT: Over 737,000 metric tons of wheat will be procured from 70 procurement centres in three districts of Bahawalpur division. This was stated by Punjab Food Director Captain Muhammad Usman Younus retired at a meeting he chaired in Bahawalpur on Saturday.

According to the district-wise break-up 272,000 metric tons would be procured from Bahawalpur, 241,000 from Bahawalnagar and 220,000 from Rahim Yar Khan, where 28, 22 and 20 procurement centres had been set up, respectively.

He said the wheat procurement campaign would be launched from the 15th of this month and run until May 31 during which the supply of gunny bags would be ensured to growers who would be paid Rs1,200 per 40 kilo. He added the gunny bags would be given on a first-come-first-served basis.