CHAKWAL, April 17: A recent visit to Chakwal by the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) leader Ch Pervaiz Elahi to muster support for his candidacy and party has turned out to be a futile exercise.
He came here to get the support of his erstwhile rival Sardar Faiz Tamman and convince his two party candidates to withdraw in favour of Sardar Ghulam Abbas who had pledged to help Mr Elahi win NA-61 seat.
Sardar Ghulam Abbas, the most influential politician in Chakwal district, has brought out an independent panel after PML-N refused to accept him in the party fold.
Sardar Ghulam Abbas had assured his old friend Pervez Elahi that he would support PML-Q in NA-61 and PP-23 and in return Mr Elahi was to withdraw his party candidates in favour of Mr Abbas group in NA-60, PP-20, PP-21 and PP-22.
Sardar Abbas himself is a candidate for NA-60 and PP-22 while he has fielded Chaudhry Ejaz Hussain Farhat and Malik Akhtar Shahbaz for PP-20 and PP-21.
Mr Elahi reached Chakwal on Monday at 11:30am and remained there till 10pm but could not make any breakthrough.
First he came at the residence of Ch Mohammad Ali (PML-Q’s district president) and tried to convince him to withdraw his candidature in favour of Ejaz Hussain Farhat of Sardar Abbas Group but Mr Ali refused. Later, Pervez Elahi went to Kot Chaudhrian village, the hometown of Sardar Ghulam Abbas where both leaders announced to contest elections jointly.
After visiting Kot Chaudhrian, Mr. Elahi went to Tamman village where he tried to get the support of former MNA Sardar Faiz Tamman who defeated Mr Elahi in 2008 elections.
Sardar Faiz Tamman told Mr Elahi that he needed some time to make a decision in this regard.
In the evening Pervez Elahi reached Dullah village to accomplish a bigger task.
Dullah village is the hometown of former PML-Q MPA Sardar Khurram Nawab who has differences with Sardar Ghulam Abbas.
Mr. Elahi tried to make reconciliation between the two sardars and also tried to convince Mr Khurram to withdraw from contesting election in NA-60 in the favour of Sardar Ghulam Abbas.
But, according to the sources, Khuuram Nawab refused to take his nominations back. However, he told Mr Elahi that he would hold a meeting with his supporters and after that he could announce his final decision.
On the other hand the alliance between Pervez Elahi and Sardar Ghulam Abbas has worried the PPP’s local leaders.
“According to seat adjustment formula PML Q was supposed to support us in NA-60, PP-20 and PP-21 as we are supporting it in NA-61, PP-22 and PP-23”, PPP’s district president Raja Shahjajan Sarfaraz told Dawn.
“I hope that the high command would settle the issue within a couple of days”, he maintained.
