SIALKOT, Aug 28: The ruling PML’s two divided groups, led by Punjab Industries Minister Ajmal Cheema and ex-district nazim Mian Naeem Javaid, have started wooing the Variyos who have bagged 61 nazim seats out of a total of 124 UCs in the district.

A number of councillors, backed by the Variyo family, has reportedly won in almost all the UCs.

The motive of these groups is to muster the support of Variyo family’s head Chaudhry Akhtar Ali Variyo ahead of the Sept 29 elections for tehsil nazim slots in Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial, Pasrur and for the district nazim.

Reports said Mian Naeem and Ajmal Cheema had held separate secret meetings with Akhtar Variyo, ex-federal minister Abdul Sattar Variyo, MPA Khush Akhtar Subhani and Punjab Power Minister Chaudhry Armughan Subhani at the Variyo House in Sialkot Cantt. However, according to the Variyo family sources, these meetings remained fruitless.

On the other hand, National Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Ameer Husain and Pasrur-based State Defence Minister Zahid Hamid have already announced their support for Akhtar Variyo for the district nazim slot.

The Variyo family’s Punjab Minister Armughan Subhani denied that they had made any political alliance with Mian Naeem Javaid group for tehsil and district polls.

“We are in a strong position and don’t need any alliance with any group.”

Mr Subhani claimed that the ruling PML’s candidate for the district nazim would be from the Variyos.

Meanwhile, the PML-N, PPP, MMA and other political parties have announced that they would field joint candidates under the platform of ARD for tehsil and district nazim slots.

Addressing a welcome reception meeting held at Daska the other day in the honour of newly elected UC nazims, naib nazims and councillors, the ARD’s district leadership vowed to give a tough time to the ruling party’s candidates.