GUJRAT, Oct 3: Former tehsil nazim Nadeem Asghar Kaira and MNA Qamar Zaman Kaira had to face another major blow when their two nazims along with their panel members announced their support on Monday for the Shujaat Group candidates in Oct 6 elections.

Nazim Mian Khalid Rafiq advocate from Seekariali and nazim Salim Akram from Noonanwali said in their statements that they would vote Chaudhry Shafaat Husain and (Kharian tehsil nazim candidate) Syed Noorul Hasan Shah.

They said other members of their panels would also vote Shujaat Group candidates.

Sources close to both the politicians told Dawn that they took the decision when MNA Wajahat Husain, former district nazim Shafaat Husain and former district naib nazim Syed Noorul Hasan Shah convinced them.

They said both the politicians and their councillors were likely to join the PML and a formal announcement in this regard was expected soon.

The power of Kairas of Lalamusa had already diminished in Kharian tehsil due to change of loyalty by their close aides. Former caretaker chief minister Mian Afzal Hayat, MNA Rahman Naseer Marala, MPA Amir Usman Adil, former Kharian district naib nazim Dr Javed Riaz, former Lalamusa municipality chairman Sheikh Hafizullah Siddique, family of former Lalamusa municipality chairman Mirza Jamshed Ali Shamas, former councillor from Kharian Asif Dhama and Mehar Azam had already joined the Chaudhris of Gujrat and Shahs of Qulewal Syedan.

Syed Noorul Hasan Shah, the younger brother of former MNA the late Syed Manzoor Husain is contesting the election of tehsil nazim. His opponent Nadeem Asghar Kaira, former Kharian tehsil nazim and the son of former MNA the late Haji Asghar Kaira is in jail in a corruption case.

Political pundits believe that Noor Shah is likely to win the election by a margin of over 100 votes.

SHOT: A man was shot dead by 11 people over an old enmity in Chokorry Bheelowal village of Dinga on Sunday night. Accused Amjad and his 10 accomplices shot dead Afzal and escaped.