VEHARI, Sept 16: There is a chaos in the district as the ruling party leaders, ignoring the chief minister’s decision, are nominating their candidates for the top slot of nazim as independents. They have nominated three candidates for Vehari district and three for Vehari tehsil nazim and two each for Burewala and Mailsi tehsils.
For district nazim’s slot, ex-nazim and nominee of chief minister Mumtaz Khichi, ex-federal minister Syed Shahid Mehdi and political adviser to the chief minister Sikandar Elahi Cheema filed their nomination papers.
Former tehsil nazim Mian Saqib Khurshid is the official candidate for Vehari tehsil nazim. Zahid Iqbal Chaudhry, the brother of MPA Tahir Iqbal, who has recently joined the ruling party and ex-MPA Nazar Mohammad Dugal are the other two candidates in the run.
In Burewala tehsil, official candidate Chaudhry Nazir Arain is facing ex-tehsil nazim Usman Warraich.
There is a one-on-one fight in Mailsi tehsil between official candidate ex-tehsil nazim Asim Saeed Manais and Jahanzeb Khichi, the nephew of Mumtaz Khichi.
Despite losing three important allies, Syed Shahid Mehdi has decided to contest for the office of district nazim. Having the support of ex-Punjab assembly speaker Saeed Manais and state minister for railway Ishaq Khakwani, he is contesting against Mumtaz Khichi.
THE POLITICS: According to source, Tehmina Daultana of the PML-N is in touch with the ruling PML and supporting the Syed.
Political observers are, however, giving much importance to the nomination of Sikandar Cheema who came from Lahore and filed his nomination papers.
Mr Cheema told Dawn that his nomination was filed just to control the situation. It was a signal from the chief minister that he may revert his decision for district nazim if the Syed contested the election against Mumtaz Khichi. In this situation, they would be forced to withdraw their candidature and support him, he added.
Earlier, Shahid Mehdi had said in a meeting of union council nazims and councillors held in Burewala that the chief minister had taken a decision against the will of the majority.
He said his group had proved his majority but the minority group was imposed.
He said he would contest election at any cost. In Vehari, despite joining the ruling party, PML-N MPA Tahir Iqbal could not get nod for his brother for tehsil nazim.
It is learnt that it was only because Mumtaz Khichi had cheated him. Mumtaz Khichi had promised to support his brother’s nomination for tehsil nazim if he joined the ruling party on his invitation. On the other hand, Mr Khichi had assured Mian Saqib Khurshid of his support and ultimately tilted in his favour.
On realizing that he was cheated, Tahir Iqbal submitted his brother Zahid’s nomination papers for tehsil nazim. He made another desperate attempt to win the official support and met the chief minister who assured him that he would be the official candidate from PP-236 in 2007 general election.
Ex-MPA Nazar Mohammad Dugal is not happy with the nomination of Saqib Khurshid and filed his papers for Vehari tehsil nazim.
The situation in Burewala is no more different. The official candidate, Nazir Arain, is facing challenge from within the party as Usman Warraich is also in the run. Mr Warraich was expecting official nomination for him but the decision was taken in favour of Mr Nazir.
In Mailsi tehsil, Mumtaz Khichi has put his nephew Jahanzeb, who is district PML general secretary, against the official candidate for nazim Asim Saeed Manais.
Some political influentials and agencies have started their struggles to end the differences between the factions of ruling party.
Political observers are of the view that if the situation persists for a few more days, then a joint meeting of rival factions with the chief minister is inevitable.
On the other hand the opposition parties, the PML-N and the PPP, have fielded their candidates for the seats separately.